District 8 Reaping

POV of Crisis Evans

All I hear is screaming, crying and laughing, although that's normal here. When you cram a hundred or so children, from a few months to 17 years old, it tends to get load. Supposidly the Capitol is going to pay for us to build another building so the district can house more orphans and so the facility isn't over crowded.

My room is a giant room with 20-30 bunk beds lining the walls. Each child has a trunk. Bottom bunk kids put theirs under their bed and top bunks have it on the end of the bed. Flickering lights and creaking fans set the mood. From 4-17 you're in the "big kid's room" which is where the majority of us stay. The girl's have a room identical to our. Then there's the nursery. Screaming babies and bawling toddlers, it's almost as insane as the boy's room.

Today is the worst though. The reaping has everyone on edge, mostly the 12 year olds. The older siblings trying to comfort them, telling them that their names are barely in there so the odds are in their favor. Since we're in a district facility if we apply for a tesserae instead of it being everyone in the household, it's only immediate family that is currently living in the facility. So for me my chances don't really go up by much. I've been alone for as long as I can remember so when I signed up for the tessera it only increased my food portion.

I don't care if I'm reaped. My life is shit anyway. I have aunts and uncles that turned me down. They said they couldn't handle raising another child, at least that's what I've been told. So I've been on my own. Occasionally foster families are assigned children, and I go to a family. They end up sending me back after a month or so. Others get adopted, but I'm not what you would call a desirable child. I'm average looking, kind of a loner and I don't have much of a personality. I'm smart though. I read every chance I can get. One of the care takers here buys them for me. My trunk is filled mostly with book and I have books in piles under my bed. I picked a bottom bunk so I can put my stuff away. Conceal it. I know that it's an illusion of privacy, but ignorance is bliss isn't it?

"Alright everyone, we need to start leaving now." One of the care takers yelled into the room. They walked away and I could hear them say it again across the hall. The nursery doesn't need to go, too many babies/toddlers, not enough workers to hold them.

I slip on my shoes and walk towards the door. Then I see the only friend I really have. She's been here as long as I have. Well I think. It's Tabitha Benet. She's my best friend. "Tabi!" I yell running to catch up with her.

"Hey Crisis. You nervous?" She asks grabbing my hand. She's really scared.

"No. If I get reaped I'll fight for my life and try to come home. If I die, you're the only one that will miss me." She looked shocked as tear filled her eyes.

"You won't be reaped. Your name is only in there 16 times. There are plenty of people that have more than that." She grabbed my arm with her other hand and pulls me close. She makes me smile.

"You're right. The odd aren't against me. Not as bad as they could be at least." We walked together looking like a couple. This is a regular thing with us; we like to make people think we're together. In reality we're more like siblings than anything else. We've been here longer than a lot of the younger kids. She could have left years ago. A couple wanted to adopt her. It was called off when she went into a fit and attacked the couple. She later told me it's because they said they wouldn't take me with her. Ever since then she's been labeled unadoptable, just like me.

Our separation is brief as we register for the reaping. She rejoins me, and we walk over to our main care taker. "Alright everyone, we're going to meet up here after the reaping, just like last year." He says. "Now go to your sections. Good luck."

"Crisis, are we going to be together forever? You know as best friends?" She looks at me sad and scared. I hug her.

"Of course. Now hurry up and get in your section. The sooner everyone is in their places the sooner we can go back to that dirty hole we call home." I calmly say to her as I let her go. She smiles at me and runs off. Time to get this over with.

I wait in the crowd of 15 year old guys for the mayor to shut up. No one, but the Capitol cares about the Dark Days. No one! So why do we have to listen to it every year. I think every 5 years would be fine. So our freaky looking escort finally takes the stage. Velix Brintz is a large man. I mean seriously how can someone be that big? We could probably save a few lives with the food he throws away let alone the food he must eat. I think he could out eat a large family here. On top of that he is electric blue, not his cloths, his skin. Yeah I know weird. He is wearing gold eye make-up and his hair is platinum white. I really don't get these people. They disgust me.

"Shall we begin by with the young ladies?" He wobbles his way over to the bowl filled with the girl's names. I want to laugh, but I don't. "Let's see who we have for this year's female tribute." He unfolds the slip. "Scarlet Alder!" He yells into the crowd. A girl walks out from the 13 year old section on the girl's side. She doesn't have much of a walk because she's right down in front. She's pretty. She has short, brown, wavy hair that bounces as she walks. When she walks onto the stage and faces the crowd I see she's humbly beautiful. It's a shame she got reaped. People are sure to miss her. "Gentlemen next." He wobbles across the stage and reaches his sausage fingers into the guy's bowl. He pulls out the name of the unlucky guy. "Crisis Evans!" Damn it!

I walk down the aisle, up the stairs and over to the center of the stage. I look through the crowd and see Tabi's face. She looks upset. I know she'll be my only visitor. Everything else seems like a blur, and the next thing I know I'm in a decent sized room sitting on a couch, waiting. The door opens and in runs Tabi. She wraps her arms around me and just sobs. We don't talk, she cries and I hold her, that's all. We sit there for what seems like forever and I don't mind. I know that chances are I'll never see her again. That thought pains me because just like she's the only one I have, I'm all she has. I will try to win for her, but if I don't I want this moment right here to be my last thought. Knowing someone will miss me, someone cares.

Reapings almost done with. Tell me what you think. We have a few more scenes before the Games actually start. Please review.