Strong Contestant: Vitality Falon, District 5 Female Tribute


Time to get ready for the Reaping, I told myself mentally.

Our Reaping was one of the later ones-it took place at about two o'clock in the afternoon. Some of the districts had their Reaping at a time that would be just way too early for me.

I walked over to my dresser. It had been a larger birthday present from my dad when I turned seventeen. He was always doing things like that, coming up with nice surprises. And we certainly had the money for him to do so. My mom was a victor, after all, so we were some of the richest people in the district.

I stopped and examined the dark, smooth wood that turned in to drawers. Above it, still attached, was a large mirror that reflected the room, and myself, perfectly.

My Reaping outfit was stored by itself in the top drawer. I pulled it out gently, much more gently than I normally would've. The main part was an elegant golden dress. I laid it out on top of the dresser and went to retrieve the shoes-tall, black heels.

After I got dressed, I examined it in the mirror. I left my dark brown hair loose the way it was, but still modified the outfit by adding a locket to it.

"Vitality!"

I heard my dad calling me from downstairs.

"Coming!"

I ran down the steps, (well, as fast as you can run while wearing heels), until I reached the main room.

"Ready to go?"

"Yeah, pretty much."

Mom was there, too, glaring at the wall. She hated the Games. More than anything. It was probably because she had gone through them, herself. She had barely mentored anyone since she became a victor, convincing the other victors to volunteer to mentor the tributes each year. But she still considered herself to be just a bit above the rest of us, winning at such a young age of fourteen.

"Good." Mom's voice, not dad's. Flat, non-praising.

"Shall we head out, then?" Dad, this time.

"Guess so."

We all walked to the central part of town where the Reaping would take place. It didn't take long to sign in, and mom went to her place on the stage while dad joined the crowd. I headed over to the seventeen-year-old section.

It wasn't long before the Reaping began.

The mayor told the history of Panem. I couldn't say that I listened much.

He read the list of past victors, but the only names I really picked out were mom's and the two mentors for this year's: Aquifer Vertex and Faden Doom. I've heard good things about Aquifer, even mom seems to think relatively positively of her, but Faden... I've heard rumors of him attacking his tributes.

Then the mayor introduced our escort. Our escort didn't seem very promising. She seems to forget about the tributes a lot once you get past the Reaping. Laureellee Jaames, (the escort), had gold hair with black streaks in it, a typical, Capitolistic alteration.

She gave her speech, which I actually managed to listen to part of, just so I could laugh at it later. "Oh, I'm just so happy to be here!" Give me a break.

"I actually have an announcement for this year!" she called out, as if this was a ridiculous notion. "It's time for the reading of the card!"

Say what?

"On the four-hundred-fifth anniversary, as a reminder to the rebels that false preparation was their downfall in the war, this Quarter Quell will be twenty years early, and, to be released from the arena, the final tribute must be in possession of five special objects that will be hidden throughout the arena. These objects will be made obvious once the Games begin."

Oh, excellent.

"Let's get some tributes!"

Before I was even conscious of what she was saying, I heard, "Vitality Falon!"

You could hear a collective gasp in the square. Personally, not a lot of people know me, but everyone knows that I'm the daughter of a victor.

I stood.

Right foot, left foot. Right, left, right, left.

My dad wanted me in the Games.

Right, left, right, left.

My mom didn't.

Right, left, right, left.

I reached the stage.

Laureellee Jaames didn't seem to realize who I was or what was going on. She hadn't been my mother's escort. Did she really not recognize me? At least the last name?

Even with that knowledge, no one volunteered.

She was already calling the name of the male tribute.

"Replican Tally!"

The name rang a bell, somewhere in my head. I remembered that his dad was a Peacekeeper in the district, and not a particularly nice one. His mom, who I only recognized from the last name, was apparently a high-ranking scientist. I thought I'd heard of both of his parents before.

He made his way to the stage.

No volunteers for him, either.

The mayor read the Treaty of Treason, (oh, great, another thing to tune out), and then he gestured for me and Replican to shake hands. We did so, just as the anthem began to play. Then we were taken to the Justice Building.

I only had three visitors, in total.

I was very focused on how nice the room I was in looked.

My first two were my mom and dad, together. Mom just seemed distressed, mumbling something about wishing that she was actually mentoring this year. Dad beamed, clearly pleased that I was in the Games at last. He'd dropped the idea of volunteering by me, but I never had. I guessed I would've considered it more seriously my last year in the Reaping.

Their visit was short.

I don't think mom said anything, really, the whole time.

Dad, however, chattered away. "Well, I figure that you stand a pretty good chance! You come from a family of champions, and the audience is sure to love you. How could they not? I'm so proud..." After a while, I even tuned him out. I didn't bother pointing out that the only "champion" in our family so far was mom, and I wasn't sure how much she counted anymore.

They both left, eventually.

Michael, one of my only friends, was next.

He wasn't as distressed as mom was, but not as cheery as dad, either.

Somewhere in the middle.

Confident in me, but nervous about the possibilities.

Just like how I felt.

"Well," he started, "your dad must be happy."

"Of course. He couldn't stop beaming when he visited me."

"I would think so. And he does have a point. You have a good chance."

"Even against the Careers?"

"Especially against the Careers. They're all idiots, anyway. And, at least you don't have your mom as a mentor."

"I'd rather have her than what's-his-face."

"Yeah, maybe; but your mom would be miserable the whole time."

The Peacekeepers were already signaling that it was time for him to leave. Already?

And Michael left without a fight, saying just two more words:

"Come home."

And then he was gone.

I was taken to the train station. I managed to smile and wave for the cameras, as did Replican.

But it was over very quickly, just like the visitation time.

We got on the train, and the ride, too, sped by. When we got to the Capitol, I only really saw one sight.

A glowing sun peaking over the distant mountains, making the city shine in the light of a new dawn.