Chapter 10: The District 8 Reaping
Calico Alpert is dancing in her backyard
POV: Calico Alpert (District 8 Female)
Note: I hate Calico. I intentionally made her the worst tribute. She's a thirteen year old, conceited, happy-go-lucky teenager who stupidly volunteers because she's convinced that she can win. She's a Mary Sue on purpose.
The wind rustles through the trees, making a sort of melodic hum that sooths my wild mind and calms me. I reach my foot outward onto the cement ground, and carry my body forward. Within minutes, I'm full on dancing, running around and jumping gracefully.
Yep, that's right, the ground is cement. District 8 is so industrialized that even people's yards are destroyed and replaced with artificial material. I just turned old enough to work in the factory. I go to the factory for two hours each day after school and work tirelessly making cloth from wool.
I love dancing. Back in the olden days, people could have any jobs they wanted. People were free to express their creativity and innovation. Nowadays, everybody in the district is chained down to a sewing machine. We're taught to be robots, stifled of all feeling, and work day in and day out making clothes.
People from the districts aren't allowed to leave. You stay where you were born your entire life and don't ever learn about anywhere else except for maybe your neighboring districts. For us, that's six and twelve.
There are lots of famous dancers in the Capitol, people who dance professionally. I've always envied them. Those in the Capitol have nothing to worry about. They don't have to worry about feeding their families. They don't have to worry about putting on masks whenever they leave home because the air is so polluted it sticks to your lungs. They don't have to worry about sanitizing the stuff that's more mud than actual water.
All of the sudden, something strange happens; my feet stop moving and I'm sucked in by a voice deep in my subconscious.
You could volunteer into the Hunger Games. The voice says. Go into that arena and win, and you'll be showered with fame and buckets of money. You could move to the Capitol and become a famous dancer. You'll be able to live the rest of your life in happily ever after.
I grin.
Justin Kirsten is aiding his sick brother the night before the reaping.
POV: Justin Kirsten (District 8 Male)
His hands are ice and his face is an ugly mixture of greens and reds. Pus oozes out of his skin and he's sweating like crazy. His neck is covered with rashes. His heart is pounding and he's breathing in and out rapidly.
He's near death. From working in the extremely unsanitary textile mill, he contracted some form of Cholera or Diphtheria or something. The doctor couldn't tell.
"You have to stay strong, Noah" I whisper to him. His only response is a sharp exhale and a sharp inhale.
"You can't die on me" I'm fighting back tears now. All of the sudden, a fat one tumbles from my right eye and falls to the floor. "I love you".
All of the sudden, his arm starts throbbing again. He's having one of his seizure episodes again. My blood turns to ice and my stomach turns as I dart up the stairs to the rusty old house phone. I clutch my hand around the thing and quickly dial the number for the local healer in a panic. She says she'll come soon.
Ten minutes later, when the healer is there
"It's hopeless" she says, and a huge wail escapes my throat, filling up the room.
"We have two options. One, euthanize him right now. Of course, I'd need his permission first. Two, get him medicine. There's only one problem; that medicine is expensive. One thousand dollars for a week's worth of it. The richest man in District 8 couldn't afford one bottle."
"Sorry, Justin" the healer puts her hand on my back, but I can't see straight. Tears cloud my vision as I'm flooded with burning, passionate anger.
"What? You're a healer! You're supposed to be able to fix him! YOU LIAR!"
I'm eighteen years old, but now I'm acting like a three year old. When a boy watches his brother crumbling on the verge of death, all logic is lost.
When my parents get home from work, I tell them what the medic says, and we all cry. We give Noah all the medicine we have, but when there's no more, we have nothing to do but watch him crumble away.
That night, when I look at my calendar, I realize that tomorrow is reaping day. I grin. I think back to when the healer visited.
"That medicine is expensive" she said.
The victor of the Hunger Games wins buckets of money for life, right?
Calico Alpert is at the reaping.
POV: Calico Alpert (District 8 Female)
District 8 is, by far, the blandest District. The air stinks of industrial fumes, and it's so polluted that it sticks to your lungs and makes it so that you can't see twenty feet in front of you. The water is so polluted that we have to run it through a strain to filter out all of the parasites and chemicals. It's so industrial that there's barely a blade of grass in sight.
However, we have the most flamboyant escort of all. Ares Magnani, an extremely slim, tall man with a very angular face, walks out onto the stage before gracefully waltzing over to the microphone like some sort of celebrity walking over a red carpet.
He grabs the microphone and smiles madly, grinning and scanning over the crowd.
"Well, what do we have here? All of District 8, ready to witness the 100th annual reaping ceremony in District 8! Are we excited?"
To my surprise, the crowd begins clapping and cheering. I myself am smiling so wildly at his flamboyant personality that I must clap along as well.
"Now, before we begin, we have to read the treaty of treason, which describes to us why the Hunger Games exist! Isn't that exciting?"
The crowd plays along, but we all think that this is by far the most boring part of the reaping. Ares reaches into his enormous pocket and pulls out a huge card with the capitol seal on the back before reading the card out loud.
"Now, as you all know, this year, there is a very special Quarter Quell! Nobody will be allowed to leave until one brave young man and woman volunteers to take the place of the two lovely ones I reap shortly."
"As usual, ladies first!" Ares saunters over to the girl's reaping bowl. This is the moment my dreams come true. This will be the start of me entering the Hunger Games, winning, and becoming a famous dancer for the rest of my life. I'm exciting out of my skin and bubbling with exhilaration.
Ares reaches his rather small hand into the reaping bowl and picks a name out. He walks back to the microphone, runs his finger along the crease, and smiles so widely I can see the back of his throat before he reads the slip of paper aloud to all of District 8.
"Hem Ambertide!" He announces excitedly. "Any volunteers?"
"I volunteer as tribute!" I scream as loud as I can.
"Well, come on up dear!" Ares replies through the mic.
Within seconds I'm out of my section and darting towards the stage as fast as a bullet. People turn their heads to look at me as I walk by. District 8 hasn't had a volunteer in many years, so it's no wonder that they're surprised.
Once I'm on the stage next to Ares, I smooth out my sea-green dress and smile for the crowd.
"Well, young lady, what's your name?" Ares hands me the microphone.
"Calico Alpert!" I announce excitedly. I'm so happy that I can finally accomplish my dreams of becoming a famous dancer. Victory is so close I can taste it.
"Are you excited, Calico?" Ares asks.
"Very!" I answer, grinning.
"Well, Calico, we can't send you into the Hunger Games alone! It's time to pick a guy to join you."
He shuffles over to the boy's reaping bowl before reaching his hand inside and picking out a name. He walks back over to microphone, unfolds the tightly folded slip of paper, and reads it aloud.
"Umber Oceanmark!" He proclaims. "Any volunteers?"
"I volunteer as tribute!" yells a boy from the eighteen year-old section. Within seconds, he's running over the ground up to the stage, and stands right next to Ares.
"Well, what's your name, young man?"
The boy grabs the microphone from Ares.
"Justin Kirsten"
"Well, Justin, are you excited?"
"Yeah" he replies blandly, hanging his head. He's most definitely not excited.
Why the heck did this boy volunteer? Is all I'm thinking right now.
"Very well! I believe we have collected our two tributes! Let's have a round of applause for Calico Alpert and Justin Kirsten, our two tributes this year!"
"Turn towards the crowd" Ares requests from Justin and I.
The crowd claps for a while, but all I can focus on is the relief on the faces of the eighteen year olds, relieved that their time being eligible for the Hunger Games is up.
After the two of us shake hands and Ares says goodbye to the crowd, a peacekeeper grabs me from behind and hauls me into the Justice Building for visitors.
Justin Kirsten is receiving visitors in the Justice Building.
POV: Justin Kirsten (District 8 Male)
Dad is the first person to come say goodbye. He walks over to me calmly without any shadow of an expression on his face, and sits on the couch to my left. We sit in complete silence for a few minutes, not even acknowledging each other's presence.
"I know why you volunteered" he says after a while, turning his head towards me. His deep brown eyes lock with mine, and we both start to cry. A huge, wet tear tumbles from his face and falls onto his lap, and his face is getting redder by the second. Judging by how my face is warming up, I'm about to do the same. I'm trying to hold the tears back, because this room is most certainly tapped, and what we say is being recorded and likely being broadcasted to all of Panem.
There are moments where I know that, if I say anything, I will start sobbing uncontrollably. This is one of those times. As soon as I open my mouth, I start balling my eyes out like a three year-old.
"I'm sorry" I sob. "I thought I could win and bring back medicine for Noah. The nurse said he'd die without any medication."
"I would never suggest that you do this" dad continues. "I love Noah very much, but there are many angels looking out for him. If the claws of death are to take him now, then so be it. I can't lose both of you."
Dad's always been religious.
"Listen to me. You go into that arena and win. You fight for your life. Remember what you're fighting for. When you return home, Noah will most likely be dead already. You can't save him; you can save youself."
"But, if we could get him the medicine, then maybe we could both survive" I suggest.
"Yes, that's it, my son. Optimism is the key to motivation. Maybe you can both survive, and grow up to be strong, loving adults. I would love that."
I jump in shock as the door booms open and two peacekeepers emerge. Right before they grab Dad, he utters a single sentence to me.
"You have such a brilliant mind. Use it."
Once the peacekeepers leave, I lie on the pristine purple couch and think about everything.
It was my decision to enter this competition. There are two different things that I can do. Number one, I can go into that arena and win. In that case, I can bring back the medicine and both Noah and I will survive. Number two is one I refuse to accept. If I die in that arena, my father will lose both of his children: Noah to disease and me to the deadly entertainment of the Capitol. I shouldn't have volunteered.
But I did. I did it because I love my brother. I did it because I love my family and want to keep them safe.
Calico Alpert is receiving visitors in the Justice Building.
POV: Calico Alpert (District 8 Female)
"Calico, I know you can win this thing. You're so clever, and you have such a strong body" says Ellie. She reaches out her arm and places it on the back of my neck.
"Do you know why I volunteered?" I ask her. I mean, she knows that I like dancing, but I don't know if she knows how much I like it.
"Hmm. No" she answers. "Why?"
"Because I want to be a dancer" I continue. "The victor of the Hunger Games doesn't have to go to school, so they can get whatever job they want or even move to the Capitol."
"Oh, I should have known that" she says, rolling her eyes.
"I mean, I know you know I like to dance, but I don't know if you know that I know you know that I like to dance." I say, and we both burst out laughing.
"Don't tell anybody about this, or I will put a voodoo curse on you!" I yell, hysterically.
"Oh, you do voodoo? But do I do that you do voodoo?" we burst out laughing once more.
The door booms open and I see two peacekeepers enter the room.
"Goodybe, Ellie!" I wave to her. "See you later!"
"Bye, Calico!" she waves back.
Weaver McClung is instructing the tributes on the train to the Capitol.
POV: Weaver McClung (District 8 Mentor and Victor of the 98th Hunger Games)
Calico sits to my left, and Justin sits to my right.
"So, guys, isn't this exciting?" I ask them, pretending to be excited about two kids that'll probably be dead in a month.
"Uh uh" they both reply in unison. Calico looks up and smiles, but Justin just looks down and fidgets with his shirt.
"Well, you know why I'm here, right?"
"Uh huh."
"I'm here to give you advice on how to survive those games."
"Uh huh."
"Can you give me a more interesting response than 'uh huh'?"
"Sure!" Calico says excitedly. "Give us advice."
"Well, you two are from District 8. It's sad but true that District 8 is the district with the least victors. But, that should just be extra motivation for you to win!"
"Sure! I'm definitely going to win!" Calico gushes again.
"Optimism is the key" I reply.
Calico is the type of tribute I know way to well: the happy-go-lucky and rather stupid young person who volunteers from some stupid reason and dies on the first day.
"Well, the first and most important piece of advice I can give you is to run away from the cornucopia as soon as the games begin. Almost half of tributes typically die in the bloodbath at the beginning, so run away and you've just earned yourself a ticket to the final 10. If the arena is a lake, then swim away. If it's grassland, run away. I don't care what you think is best for yourself, but I survived the Hunger Games by running away from the bloodbath and so should you."
"Also, do not make any allies! I cannot stress this enough. Being in an alliance is very dangerous. It's very common that one day, a starving or thirsty tribute will kill their ally. My advice for you is to wait it out until everyone is dead. Hide in a tree or something."
"Next, be sure to stay away from the careers. The tributes from 1, 2, and 4 are always the most deadly. Get within one hundred yards of them and its guaranteed death within the next ten minutes."
"Last, but certainly not least, get a high training score. Your training score is the main thing sponsor go by when deciding whom to sponsor. Get a high one and sponsors will line up and down the block to sponsor you. Get a low one, and you're a bloodbath kill."
"Remember that all of the other tributes want to be the last man standing as badly as you do. They'll do anything to accomplish that."
There's Calico and Justin, the District 8 tributes! The reapings are drawing to an end here, and there's only four more reapings after this and then we're onto the chariot rides, training, the interviews, and then the games themselves. Please review and tell me what you think!
Tribute Profiles:
Name: Justin Kirsten
Gender: Male
District: 8
Age: 18
Social Class: Justin's family is middle class in District 8
Tribute Token: Metal Ring
Height: 67.3 inches
Weight: 130.4 pounds
Hair: Short and Blond
Eyes: Blue
Likes: Nice People
Dislikes: The nighttime, Bonfires
Goals/Ambitions: Save his brother from death
Strengths: Strong, Tall, Fast runner
Weaknesses: Can't swim, Impatient
Fears: Darkness, Death
Attitude towards Death: He's scared of it, but appreciates that it is inevitable
Training for the Hunger Games: None
Reason for Volunteering: He wants to win, because victors get lots of money and his brother will die without expensive medicine.
Name: Calico Alpert
Gender: Female
District: 8
Age: 13
Social Class: Calico's family is among the wealthiest in District 8.
Tribute Token: Metal Bracelet
Height: 74.1 inches
Weight: 123.3 pounds
Hair: Long and Brown
Eyes: Deep Blue
Likes: Dancing
Dislikes: Thunderstorms
Goals/Ambitions: Become a famous dancer
Strengths: Sly, Stealth, Fast Runner
Weaknesses: Can't run, Can't swim
Fears: Failure
Attitude towards death: She's religious and believes she will go to a better place when she dies.
Training for the Hunger Games: None
Reason for Volunteering: She wants to win, move to the Capitol, and become a famous dancer.
Published 6/25/17