CHAPTER TEN:
District Ten Reapings
~~~Zillah's POV~~~
I glanced around at the brown field around me. It was once green and full of life, with cows and horses and chicken munching away at the grass. Now there were a quarter of the animals, now scrawny and underfed. We, or at least I, took it in stride. I was always the positive one in the family.
Today, my friend Dustin Hollox and I were shirking our duties, sipping on bottles of root beer. Really, we weren't supposed to be working anyways. After all, it was Reaping Day. Dustin, now nineteen, was out of the running for getting Reaped, so it was celebratory.
At the same time, it was remorseful for me. My total number of tickets had increased to a total of thirty, so my chances were even greater of getting Reaped than ever before. I'm normally a one hundred percent optimistic guy, but this was creating a dent in my optimism.
At that moment, my family came out. None of my three siblings could get Reaped yet (two were six and one was nine), but they always dressed up for the occasion. Davin ran over and hugged me. He had recently lost two teeth, so he said "Are you going away, Thillah?"
I grimaced and said "Hopefully not, Dav."
"I don't want you to go!"
"I'll have to if I get Reaped."
Tears were brimming in his little brown eyes. "Will you come back Thillah?"
This really caught me off guard. But then I thought about it. If I really was Reaped, would I come back? Would I be strong enough to defeat even the Careers?
I sighed and said "Of course Davin. I'll always come back."
~~~Katrina's POV~~~
The doe I had killed with my arrows a week ago was now nearly gone. My family stared wistfully at the carcass. The remnants of breakfast sat in front of us.
My father sighed. "Well, I guess it's time to go then."
Admittedly, I was worried. I just had a feeling I couldn't shake. I only had twelve tickets…. But that was three more than last year.
Nonetheless, my family suppressed their fears and got up. We already had our clothes on for the Reapings. I had my combat boots on with a black shirt and jeans.
"Katrina, please do your family and friends proud if you're…" my mother choked. She started crying quietly.
Both me and my father moved in to hug her. It's OK mom." I said. "Nothing would ever stop me from protecting you all."
~~~Zillah's POV~~~
My father was nearly finished reining the horses into the carriage we would ride into town in. In that time, Dustin came up and talked to me.
"You really feel like you could do it?" he asked.
"Yes." I said immediately. "Determination is key in the Games."
"And strength." Dustin said, chuckling a bit. "Well, here's hoping."
Dustin had to go to the Reapings with his family so he bade his farewells and walked down the street to his family's house.
"Alright kids, onward we go!" said my dad.
We all climbed in the carriage and we were soon off. Without meaning to, I said goodbye to the farm I grew up on. Damn it. Why am I letting the Reapings get to me so much this year?
When we arrived at the Town Square, it was nearly full, so I had to take a seat in the back of my section. The escort strode up to the stage and after all of the introductory stuff, she walked over to the boy's ball. Of course, my name was called.
~~~Katrina's POV~~~
A short, lean teenager walks up to the stage. Despite a bit of muscle on him, he doesn't look all that hard to beat.
The escort walked over to the girls' ball and fished out my name. Of course. I only had twelve slips of paper in the ball, but my name was chosen. It's just my luck.
The boy, named Zillah, and I shook hands. We walked on back and waited for the train whistle after all the family and friends' tearful goodbyes. Neither of us talked to each other. I think we were sizing each other up, trying to figure out who would kill who first.
Naturally, I would.