Juffy Simsville, District Eleven Female (Age 14)
Every Reaping day, my sisters and I go out to the fields and pick daisies. It's become a little tradition ever since I turned twelve.
We always get the morning before the big event off of work (doing laundry for the richer folk, which is far better than working in the farms) and we need something calm to do. It's good the flowers bloom near Reaping time.
I placed the basket on the grass and looked around. The field almost appeared to shimmer green in the morning sun and daisies were scattered amongst the weeds. The sky glowed vivid blue without a cloud in sight.
It was a perfect day, or at least, it would be if it wasn't considered the darkest, most unlucky time of year.
"It's so pretty." Flax muttered, her delicate eyelids fluttering as she grabbed onto my arm. She was sleepy but I was sure she'd wake up soon.
Weather skipped over to the other side, where the biggest daisies grew, and knelt in the grass. I caught a glimpse of a sweet smile on her face and my heart was warm.
I sat down. The walk from my house to here was long. The earth felt soft and the grass wasn't even itchy. One pretty little daisy sprout grew right by my legs and I picked it up.
I made my way across the field, plucking daisies off the ground one by one as the comforting sun rose. I gathered more in my hands and admired their simple beauty, and it blocked out the chaos of the rest of the world.
Weather and Flax created a collection of pins, but I preferred chains. You could use them as necklaces, bracelets, anything really. Your imagination was the limit and I liked to feel free.
I tied two of the stalks together and continued down the line, finding the toughest-looking daisies so it wouldn't fall apart. Choose a flower, tie it to the last one, and repeat until it was long enough.
I finished my chain and tied it around my neck. It went beautifully with my plain old dress. There.
Over the years I've found in hard times, it works to appreciate whatever you can, even daisy chains or blue skies.
Half an hour later, our arms and basket filled with flowers, we went home to get ready for the Reapings.
Vissarion Montay, District Eleven Male (Age 17)
I stood with Olivia by the door. Another year passed already, and it was time for the Reapings again.
Two of them were Reaped in the past and died quickly. It hurt terribly watching them go, and my parents' will was the only thing that kept me from volunteering.
They need my help, and it was better in the long run if I stayed.
All one hundred and nineteen orphans were sitting in the main room. And since each one over twelve was required to take the maximum amount of tesserae, they had every reason to worry.
We didn't want to put them in danger, but we weren't well off. Our choice was either raise the chance of one getting Reaped or let them all starve.
"You ready?" I asked Olivia. She nodded. She understood this was a difficult time for me and she really was a nice girl. It was a shame I couldn't hang out with her without one of the orphans accusing us of dating.
I pulled the door open and stepped into the room, letting over two hundred eyes focus on the two of us.
"Hello, everybody." I waved.
"Hi, guys." Olivia grinned.
"Hello." They chorused. The quiet ones nodded or smiled in greeting from their various tables. I caught a glimpse of Charlie. His face was unnaturally pale. My heart sunk.
Charlie was just a shy kid, but something about him struck me as special. He seemed to like me too and talked to me whenever he could. He was so young and innocent but he turned twelve earlier this year, so he had a chance of being Reaped.
"So today is Reaping day, so we're gonna lead you down to the square." Olivia said anxiously, well aware this upset them. "Don't worry though, there are thousands of other kids who can get picked and there are only a few dozen of you." She reassured.
True, but the odds were never in our favor and it was a sad, sad truth.
Usually they were laughing and bickering but they were so quiet now. The District tended to fall quiet around these times.
Juffy Simsville, District Eleven Female (Age 14)
As one of the poorest Districts, Eleven got either the new escorts or the ones who simply weren't good. That meant we switched almost every year, and indeed, a Capitol lady I didn't recognize sat next to the mayor.
Her hair was curly and green, her skin pale, and she wore dramatic red makeup. Her entire outfit was black and skin-tight. She was pretty, I guess, but not natural. Pretty like a doll, not pretty like a flower.
The mayor was an average guy. He looked normal and apparently grew up as a humble farmer kid, but worked hard enough to get to the top. It was admirable, but for most people unrealistic. Which struck me as kinda sad.
Cherry and Rye, Eleven's two Victors, sat right by the mayor. They both won early, before the Careers from One, Two, and Four took over and killed anyone they deemed a threat.
When I was bored and off from work I'd watch their old interviews. Never the Games, though. Too violent.
From what I'd put together, Rye was considered an underdog, but once in the arena his odds immediately rose. He was merciless and nobody got in his way, even the kids with a few years of training under their belt.
Cherry was small, only around five feet, yet she made up for it with intelligence and speed. Her arena was a forest full of poisonous berries but she knew which were safe, and she knew how to stay under the radar.
Nobody was too thrilled about her year since most of the deaths were fruit-induced, but her persona satisfied the Capitol citizens.
She was charming and I could tell she knew how to get them on their feet.
We haven't gained a Victor in over a decade. Most of our tributes are terrified orphans. It's heartbreaking.
But the Capitol only really cares about us when we're dressed up, killing each other, or dying.
"Welcome everyone!" I snapped out of it. The green haired escort stood on the podium.
"Welcome to District Eleven's Reapings!" She paused, expecting applause, but received none.
"I am your new escort, Lydia. The Twentieth Annual Hunger Games are only a bit over a week from now, and today a lucky boy and a lucky girl will be sent to the Capitol for an opportunity to represent their District and win!"
Her voice was shaky despite her wide smile. Her sentences were awkward. Maybe she'd get better next year?
"Let us start with our girl." She looked over towards my section and no hint of pity was evident on her face.
Lydia strode to the girls' bowl and I tugged at my dress.
My hair was flowing in the wind and I did my best to focus on that, anything, focus on anything. It would be over soon and I'd be safe.
Everything would go back to normal until next year and that'll repeat until I'm nineteen.
She carefully eyed the bowl and chose a plain old regular slip with a name written on it.
Alright, here we go.
She cleared her throat and announced, "Juffy Simsville!"
I froze. No no no. It was me out of everyone? This was impossible. Something went terribly wrong. I couldn't believe this. I was gonna die, and it wasn't fair. I didn't deserve to die.
Weather and Flax and my parents. They'd miss me, this would hurt them so much. Why me?
I put my chin up and walked to the podium. If I was gonna die, I would die a fighter, not a meek little child.
My lungs burnt with panic and my eyes welled with tears. I couldn't believe this.
I gave her a shy smile even though the butterflies in my stomach went wild. "Yes, that would be me." I wanted to wince at my voice, which was more high-pitched and squeaky than usual.
"Very well! You look lovely, darling."
"Thank you." How could I say anything but that?
If I go and I die, at least I won't be weak, right? Or maybe I will be weak but somehow trick the Capitol into thinking I'm not. I'd figure it out. I hoped. Or else I would die and my entire existence would be gone, oh God...
My daisy necklace fell to the ground and I didn't want to draw attention to myself by picking it up.
Vissarion Montay, District Eleven Male (Age 17)
At least it wasn't one of my kids, but she was young. A tear streamed down her cheek. We were all too young. She was… what? Thirteen? Fourteen? She was a goddamn kid and I was used to it but the Games always made my blood boil.
I wished the new escort would hurry up. I wished we could all get this over with and the kids could relax again. Maybe this year fate would smile on us and it wouldn't be an orphan. It would hurt us all so much.
"Now it's the boys' turn!"
I couldn't see Charlie and I couldn't see the other orphanage boys but I prayed it wouldn't be one of them. They were already stuck with bad lives, they didn't need the bloody Hunger Games killing them.
"Vissarion Montay!"
Oh no. That was my name. Me. My parents needed me. I had a purpose, it couldn't be me. I didn't want to die.
Well, at least it wasn't an orphan.
At least one of them didn't have to go, and I finally got my wish of sparing one.
And maybe now I'd truly do them proud.
I walked to the podium with Lydia and Juffy, not smiling, but not looking mean. I didn't want to scare anyone, I just wanted to help anyone I could.
"Vissarion Montay! You're tough looking, aren't you?" She beamed.
Oh no, not tough. My expression remained neutral and I stayed quiet.
"Now, cheer up! You're the luckiest boy in the District!"
Define lucky.
And did I look sad? It was probably just how my face looked, people told me fairly often.
She held the microphone towards my face, expecting me to say something but I didn't, mainly out of fear. Sure, I talked in front of the orphans a lot but they all knew me, it wasn't nearly as bad as all of Panem.
"We've got a quiet pair. Anyway." She trilled. "Your tributes, Juffy Simsville and Vissarion Montay!"
The crowd politely cheered and I shook hands with Juffy. I didn't want to die and I didn't want this kid or anyone else to die either. It was a lose-lose situation.
AN: ¾ through the Reapings, woo-hoo! I had tons of fun writing this chapter and with every single one I write the more excited I get for the rest of the story. Do any other writers know how to avoid passive voice? I read over my writing several times but I still miss some. Anyways, thank you all for reading! And all the reviews! They always make my day.
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