District Nine & Ten Reaping's

Hey guys! Okay, so these Reaping's and the one's after this chapter might be a little short and a little "ate, got dressed, went to Reaping" style, but honestly I'm beyond bored with these Reaping's, and I want to get onto the more fun stuff, so don't get annoyed if the Reaping's are short now. Also, I've pretty much run out of ideas on what to do so… hope you enjoy anyway!


Salem Laredo (District Nine) POV

When I wake up the sun is already high in the sky, sending shafts of yellows light across my bedroom. Some of it shines directly in my eyes and I squint. With a loud yawn I roll out of bed and walk down to the kitchen. My sisters, my dad and my brother are all there already. My mom isn't there; she probably went to sell clothes last-minute before the Reaping again. A small breakfast is sitting on the table. The smell of toast and eggs wafts around the room and I take a seat between my older sister, Olivian; and my older brother, Carreg.

I can still feel the tension from last night between me and Carreg. It seems like I'm always fighting with one of my siblings, when Olivian and I were younger we always used to fight- and I have a fair few scars to prove it- but we started to get along better as we got older. Although, I have started fighting with my brother. Don't get me wrong, we get along decently- I go to him for advice and he gives me advice, and sometimes we hang out together- but a lot of our time seems to be spent fighting. Last night was pretty bad though, and the thing is- I don't even remember what we were fighting about.

"Morning," I say, trying to sound a little cheery.

"Morning Salem," my siblings say to me. My dad doesn't even seem to notice.

"I said 'morning', dad."

My dad glances up, as if just noticing me for the first time. "Oh, good morning Salem."

I smile at him and help myself to a little breakfast- a spoonful of eggs, a small piece of toast with a thin layer of butter, and some blueberries. "Where'd you get the blueberries?" I ask. Blueberries are, oddly, a little hard to come by in District Nine.

"I worked a little overtime, and so did Olivian," Carreg says to me.

I nod and eat my breakfast. When I'm done I head back upstairs to my room to get ready for the Reaping.

I go through my closet and try to find something decent to wear. My family and I are lower middle class in Nine, so we have a few nice things and we're never too hungry, but we are not very well-off either. After a minute I finally pull out a slightly baggy blue shirt and grey ants. I toss them on, pull on a pair of scuffed up brown shoes and then head to the bathroom. My brown hair is a little messy, and I easily comb through it with my fingers. Once I feel like I look presentable I head downstairs and wait for the rest of my family.

Before long we're ready and we head to the Reaping. My sister's and I are still within Reaping age, but my brother is safe this year, since he turned nineteen.

When I reach the front of the line I tell the Peacekeeper my name and let him take a blood sample. I wince when I feel the needle and as soon as he lets me I go to my section, with the other fifteen-year-old boys. I don't talk to anyone, since almost all of my friends are girls, and my only male friend is a year older than me.

After a long wait the mayor finally comes up on stage, reads the history of Panem, et cetera, et cetera, and then he welcomes our escort onto the stage. "Hello District Nine! I hope you're all as excited as I am! Now, first let's choose our lucky girl tribute!"

She reached into the pink-tinted girls bowl and pulled a name right off the top. "And out luck female tribute is… Kati Merricks!"

There's a moment of silence, and then there's yelling and a lanky girl with black hair comes out of the fourteen-year-olds section. The girl, Kati I assume, is yelling at the top of her lungs, saying things that I'm shocked anyone would say- and wouldn't dare repeat. She goes on about how cruel the Capitol is, and how pointless, horrible and barbaric the Hunger Games are. Everyone is shocked into silence as the girl continues to walk up to the stage, ranting and raving.

Before she reaches the steps to the stage two Peacekeepers come up and grab her arms. They proceed to drag her away- to the Justice Building I assume.

"Well, um, let's continue, shall we?" the escort chirps into the microphone, obviously trying to divert our attention. "Now for our lucky male tribute!"

Another male of the top, another long pause and she finally reads the name. "Our handsome male tribute is… Salem Laredo!"

For the second time in less than five minute I'm stunned into silence. Me? T-they picked me?

Well, if I'm in I might as well try to win. I take a deep breath and start walking up to the stage. The escort smiles brightly at me the whole time, and when I'm on the stage I try not to look scared- even though I'm terrified. I keep taking deep breaths to calm myself, and it works for the most part. The anthem of the Capitol plays, and since I have no one to shake hands with I just stand there, and when the music is over they bring me into the Justice Building.


Kati Merricks (District Nine) POV

"It just isn't fair, I mean, why do they get to have all that stuff and we don't? And how come my dad got to take all the money and we were left with nothing? It's not like he has a hungry kid to feed! And why do we have to send off two tributes every year? What if we just refused? What would the Capitol do then?"

"Kill us," my friend Uria says.

"But that's just it! That's their answer to everything! 'Oh this district won't do that? Let's send in Peacekeepers to shoot them all!' and 'Oh this district doesn't want to do this? Let's drop a bomb on it!" Well what happens when all the districts are gone? They can't kill all of us- because then they'll have to fend for themselves and we all know the Capitol would never be able to do that!"

I've been ranting and complaining for a good hour now- at least. Uria doesn't seem to mind, because she agrees with me on all of it.

"Kati," my Aunt Jess pokes her head into my room. "Katie, you have to start getting ready for the Reaping. Oh, hello Uria."

"Hi," Uria says.

"The Reaping? Already? What if we all just decided to-"

"Kati, I'm really not in the mood to hear this again, just please get ready," Aunt Jess says and leaves the room.

I groan ad roll my eyes. "I guess you should head home, Uria," I say flatly and go over to my small, beat up dresser.

"Okay, I'll see you after the Reaping, okay?"

"Kay," I reply and Uria leaves.

After a minute I come up with a torn, old pair of jeans and an equally as worn T-shirt. I throw it on, mess up my black hair and go into the kitchen to get something to eat. My mom and my aunt are sitting at the table eating some bread and picking at a small bowl of blackberries.

They both look up when I enter the room, and my aunt quickly says, "You aren't wearing that."

"Why? Come on, if I'm going to show up I at least want them to know I'm not happy about it! Come on, if we just-"

"End of discussion," she says. "Now go change, wear that nice blue dress you wore last year."

"I'd rather choke on my own vomit than wear that thing again," I tell her.

"Kati, just please put on something nice- and that dress is the only nice thing you own."

"I won't wear that stupid dress!" I snap and stomp my foot. "No!"

"Kati!"

We argue for a few minute, until my Aunt finally drags me into my room and says that if I'm not in the living room with my hair neat and the dress on in ten minutes then she'll come in and force me into it. After she walks away I slam my bedroom door shut and bang my head against the wall. Who does she think she is, saying she'll dress me herself like I'm five?!

For a few minutes I pace around my room, fuming, before finally putting on the dress and combing my hair to make it look as nice as possible. I open my bedroom door and walk out just as I hear my Aunt's footsteps returning.

"Good, you look nice. Now let's go, we're going to be late."

"You know I'm going to roll in mud on our way there or on our way home, right?"

"You better not missy."

"Or what?"

"Or I'll make you scrub every last stain out of that dress, and I'll make sure you do."

Seeing no way around it I grumble to myself the whole way to the Reaping.

I wait on the line, check in and then head to the fourteen-year-olds section and wait there. Uria is sixteen, so I have no one to talk to while I wait.

I zone out and rant to myself in my head as the Reaping starts, and I don't actually pay attention until I hear a name.

"Kati Merricks!"

I freeze. What? Did they just call my name?!

That's when my temper blows.

"This game is so stupid! Why do I have to go into that damned arena, parade around for you stupid capitolites, and do whatever you want whenever you tell us?" I scream as I storm out of the section. "I'm so sick of this! It's all so unfair! You say jump, I don't want to say 'how high'? I was to say go jump in a hole!"

Even though I'm walking up to the stage a pair of Peacekeepers still come up to me and grab my arms. I'm still screaming, ranting and raving as they drag me away and into the Justice Building. The pair picks me up and literally throws me into the room.

"You might want to shut up, if you want to escape the Arena alive," one says and they close the door.

Great, just great, I think. I'm going to die at the hands of everything I despise most.


Eutropious Magyar (District Ten) POV

When I wake in the morning I look out my window and see that it's still dark out, but the lighter shade of the sky on the horizon tells me the sun will be up soon. I better go now while I can.

I quickly cross my room and pull on a pair of jeans and a jacket. I grab a scarf a wrap it around the lower half of my face, pull the hood of the jacket up and go into the main room of my house.

My house is quiet small, since it's just my parents and I living here. We have a mina room, which serves as our kitchen, dining room, living room and sometimes a bedroom. Then my parents have a bedroom, I have bedroom and we have a small bathroom. It's not great, but it suffices. There's a small bowl of fruit on the small table in the middle of the room. I grab an orange and then silently leave the house.

It's a bit of a walk to the stables. But I make it there in good time. I come here often, because no one else in the district will talk to me, and the horses can't criticize. Most of the horses are still sleeping when I walk in, but a couple of them are awake. I smile and walk over to a chocolate brown mare. She seems to smile at me, but I know I'm just picturing that, since horses can't smile. "Hey girl," I say softly and pet her neck. "How are you doing?"

She snorts in reply and my smile grows a little. I walk to the back of the stall and grab the brush for her. I spent the next half hour talking softly to her and brushing her, and soon I move on to the other horses. IT takes me most of the morning, but I don't mind. It's not like I have anyone to meet up with, or anywhere to be.

Wait, what's today?

Crud, today's Reaping Day! I think and jump up. A grey stallion I was brushing seems nervous at my sudden movement, but I calm him with a few soft whispers. "I'll be back after the Reaping to finish and clean the stalls," I say to them- even though I know they can't understand me- and I run out of the stalls and back home.

The wind is blowing now and hard too. I clutch my hood, making sure it stays up and no one can see my face, and keep running.

By the time I get home I'm out of breath and panting. My parents are nowhere to be seen, but I see a note on the table.

Dear Eutropious,

Your father and I left for the Reaping early so we aren't late. We know you'll be there on time. See you later.

-Mom.

I sigh and place the note back on the table. Of course she already left. My mom has a little trouble getting around; it's nothing serious, but there all the same. Sometimes we wonder if she has a little bit of the disease, even if it doesn't show on the outside.

I quickly walk to my room and change. I smell like the horses, and I doubt the Peacekeepers will take kindly to that. I pull on a clean pair of brown trousers and pull off my hoodie and scarf. In the mirror, I can't help but catch a glimpse of my face in the mirror.

My face. Old, wrinkled, small, sunken blue eyes and thinning blond hair on top of it, that's slightly balding. This isn't the face of a fifteen-year-old. This is the face of an old man.

An aging disease, carried by my mom from my grandma, and passed to me. It's strange, and we don't know what causes it. We've heard that the Capitol has a cure for it, but of course we can't afford it. I'll be dead before I'm old enough for this look to fit me, but only my parents will care. All of my friends deserted me when I started to look like this.

I tear my gaze away from the mirror, from the old man's face, and quickly pull on a different hoodie and pull up the hood. The scarf will be a little much, so I leave it on the floor and hurry out the door.

Before long I'm checked in a waiting for the Reaping to begin. The fifteen-year-olds section is crowded, but a circle, four feet at least in any direction, has formed around me. People act like my disease is contagious. I frown and the wrinkles in my face deepen. The Reaping begins and I wait silently with the others to see the two unlucky tributes chosen this year.

The escort reaches her hand into the girl's bowl and the tension in the air is almost graspable. "Baie Kallie!"

A small girl parts from the twelve-year-olds section. She has dull blonde hair and a small, almost frail appearance. Her eyes have a vacant, dazed look to them. I feel bad for her, and everyone else does- but not bad enough to volunteer, of course.

"And now for our male tribute!" the escort chirps and digs her hand into the bowl.

After another long moment she pulls out another name. "Eutropious Magyar!"

I freeze. Me? Did she just call my name?

She must have, because everyone has turned to look at me. I duck down and try to pull my hood even further up. They're all looking at me… I don't like it. I creep out of the section and onto the stage. I can feel heat gathering in my face and I must be as red as a tomato. When the escort asks for volunteers there are none. Of course, everyone must think it's a relief to finally get rid of the elderly man-boy.

"Well, let's have a hand for our newest tributes, Baie and Eutropious!"

I shake hands with the young girl and then we're both taken into the Justice Building.


Baie Kallie (District Ten) POV

They look at me like I'm a zombie, and I've heard them say it. But I'm not a zombie; I'm not an empty shell. Yes, I was shaken by my mom's and my brother's deaths, but that doesn't mean I'm not still thinking and feeling. Sure, I'm not as open and social as I used to be, and I stick to a routine, but I'm not a mindless zombie.

When I wake up in the morning I yawn and stretch, then I slip out of bed and pick up my work clothes off the floor. The slaughterhouse is messy work, and we don't always get enough water, so it doesn't really matter if my clothes are clean of not. I pull them on and I walk into the kitchen for breakfast. I see my dad; my two living brothers, Forrest and Leif; and my sister, Rosalind, moving about the kitchen. On the table are five plates, and a big plate with a chicken and some grapes and blueberries. I look at it, a little puzzled. We usually don't eat food like this- and when did my dad get the money for a chicken? And why are we eating it for breakfast?

I shrug and decide not to question it- good food is good- and I sit at the table between my brothers as they take their seats. I notice they're all dressed somewhat nicely. I give everyone a puzzled look.

"Morning Baie," my dad says. "Why are you giving me that look?"

"The food… and the clothes…" I say quietly.

"You didn't forget, did you?" He asks, and then says. "Well you must have, it's Reaping day honey."

"Oh," is all I say and then I start to eat my food.

"Remember, don't eat all of tis. We're going to save most of it for a celebratory dinner tonight," my dad says.

"What if one of us gets picked?" Forrest asks. "I wouldn't be surprised if the black sheep went."

My dad slams his hand down on the table and we all jump. "Forrest! What have I told you about talking to your sister like that?!" He snaps.

"I never said her!" Neither of them are saying any names, or even looking at anyone but each other, but I know they're talking about me. Expressionless, and unaffected, I pick up a small handful of berries and plop them one by one in my mouth as I leave the room and go back to my bedroom. No one noticed but Leif, who follows me.

"Are you okay?" he asks when I walk into my room.

I don't reply.

"You can talk to me. I know how you feel," he says.

No, no you don't. When mom and Glade died you lost a mom and a brother, but I lost a mother, a best friend, a brother and the only two people I was ever close to- and everyone else left me! I want to yell that at him, but I don't. I don't think I've ever yelled, and sometimes I want to, but I just don't have it in me.

"Go away," I say without looking at him. He frowns as I pick up a brown overall dress up off the floor in the corner of the room. Leif sighs, and then leaves, closing my door behind him. I quickly shake the dirt and dust off my dress before changing into it. I pick up a hair tie from the nightstand and tie my limp hair into a pony-tail. Pretending I have a mirror in front of me I fake a small smile, but it doesn't last. I frown again and leave the house, heading to the Reaping.

Okay, I guess I'm sometimes a little zombie-ish, because the whole walk to the square and the wait on the line, I'm completely zoned out. Next I remember I'm standing in the middle of the twelve-year-olds section. The Capitol escort already has her name in the girl's bowl, so I assume the video has already played, and before long she pulls out a name. "Baie Kallie!" she yells out.

It takes everything in my mind to comprehend those words, and what they mean.

I've been chosen.

I was Reaped.

I'm going into the Arena.

I'm going to die.

I must zone out again- or I'm thinking too much- because I don't remember walking to the stage, but I do remember standing there, facing the crowd as what appears to be a boy-sized old man walks up to that stage. He has the hood of his jacket pulled over his head, but I can still see his wrinkled face. I've seen him around before, but only once or twice. No one volunteers for him, and the escort tells us to shake hands as the anthem plays. When it's over she yells out, "Well, let's have a hand for our newest tributes, Baie and Eutropious!"

I shake hands with the elderly man-boy and then I'm led to the Justice Building


Hey guys! Sorry this took so long, but like I've been saying the Reaping's are getting really boring, because, well…. they're the Reaping's. They get old before long. Also, school started for me Tuesday (9/4), great! *sarcasm* Freshman year… talk about chaos! So, because of that I've had less time to write.

Anyway, if you ever feel like I'm talking a long time to update just message me! It doesn't get annoying! (Well, if you message several times a day then yes, but otherwise no.) And usually it makes me go "Okay, gotta write!" and before long I have a POV or two done, so like I said, you can message me anytime if you think I'm taking a while.

So, lastly, I hope you like this chapter! Only one more Reaping chapter to go (yey!) and then we can get to the semi-fun stuff (Train, Chariot) then the fun stuff (Training, Interviews (What? They can be good) and ze Games!) So, bear with me here.

~~~Inky.