District 9's reaping:
Kenden Peeterson:
I wake up to a servant coming into my room.
"Hello ma-lady. Would you like tea this morning?"
"No thank you Hannah, but you're famous warm milk would be lovely." She smiles and exits my room. Being rich is so much fun, but then again a curse. My dad Omar Peeterson is the mayor of district 9. So I get all the glitz and glory, but I am overly popular. Everyone wants to be my friend and it's annoying. I only have one true friend; Nina Brown. She's been my best friend since pre-k, she's an upper class but that's not why we're friends. Nina and I were friends before my dad was elected…and nothing changed. So I always stick by her and she's just the greatest.
"Here you go Kenden." Hannah sets the tray on my lap.
"Thank you, if you could draw my bath that would be divine." She nods and leaves. Before me I have Hannah's famous warm milk, French toast with blueberry syrup, and peach sausage links.
I eat slowly and watch my favorite show in the morning, Time with Tia. It's this really adorable show about girls who take in old dresses that they don't like or are too fancy to wear anywhere; and then Tia and her crew fix them up. I always love the dresses on that show. When I am older I plan to go to the capitol and be on that show. I already ordered every dress from it in the fourth season. In fact I'm wearing one of them today.
I'm done eating and Hannah comes in to tell me my bath is ready, and takes my tray. I take a nice long bath and just enjoy the few moments I have before even I am terrified. Once I'm done I go to my closet room and look through my choices.
A light pink dress that is tight at the top, strapless, and then flows out a little to the knees. It's covered in light sparkles.
A dark blue dress that is tight from top to bottom, it stops at the ankles, and is halter-top. Or,
A light green dress that is tight at the top, spaghetti strap, and then puffs out like a tutu at the bottom. The tutu is sparkly.
I decide to go with A. I have a fair skin tone, and my deep hair, that has thick curls and it will look absolutely amazing with this dress.
Once I have it on I have to decide on my shoes.
Choice A.) Silver sparkly flats
B.) white flats with little pink specks on them
C.) white 3 inch high heels.
I'm going with B, I am 5'9 I don't need any help and white looks best with this dress. Now for my hair. I'm going to leave it alone, but get my headband with the white flower on it and the pink center. I decide I am done and get ready to make my way to the reaping. The one place even my father can't control for me.
Roketi Mauluga:
"You can't control me!" I yell at my father, then he runs up to me and punches me, grabs my shoulders and kicks me in the stomach. Once I'm on the ground he kicks me again and slams his fist into my shoulder.
"Next time you want to back sass me boy, I'll make sure you end up dead, just like I did your momma." This makes me trust around, and once I'm back up on my feet I swing on him and run out the door. Once I'm about 5 miles away from the house I start to walk. Good thing I was already in my reaping clothes.
I walk in the warm weather and notice it's starting to become spring outside. It's really pretty but I can't think about that; all I can think about is mom. If I had been home that day just a little earlier, she wouldn't be gone. I hate my dad…I hate my life!
While I'm walking I notice a bunch of people meeting up with their friends. They're the lucky ones. I don't have friends. Only a few people say hi to me every now and then. But I guarantee they just feel sorry for me. If they don't they fear me. I get into about five fights a week, mostly standing up for kids or someone making fun of me. I'm not the person to be made fun of, let me tell you! Now it's time to get registered.
"Hand." I stick it out in a flop.
"Go to your group."
"You go to your group! God back off of me." I turn away and get ready to go to the 18 year olds group.
I see people staring at me so I look at my reaping outfit. A read button down shirt, khakis, and nice shoes. I flatten down my long black hair that ends just above my eyes. Nope everything seems to be in order.
In just a few moments our escort, Dalph Cawthon comes.
"Welcome ladies and gentlemen. We're running short on time so were allowed to skip the video and jump right on the reaping, ladies first!"
This gives me a little time to think. Ya I'm 18 so this is my last year, but I don't think I can deal with another year of abuse…I might die from that. Or I could go to the hunger games and go out that way…I mean if I die. I'm quite excellent at fighting and all. I mean that's a way better way to go out then a slow abusive death.
"Kenden Peeterson!" I mean honestly thinking about it-…what? Kenden. No that can't be possible.
I look up and see the mayor's daughter taking her place on stage. Is that even allowed…I mean she's practically royalty everywhere she would go!
"Now for the men." I guess it is. That's a little weird. Okay Roketi, I tell myself. This is your moment, you have to do this.
"Joel Gine!" This is your moment.
"I volunteer!" I yell. I can guarantee everyone will be confused but I mean honestly I don't care.
"Well isn't this exciting." As I take my place I put my game face on, and the best smile I can get. I want these people to remember how happy I was to be going into the games. Who knows maybe the careers will take me in or something.
"What's your name?"
"Roketi Mauluga!" I say this with much pride.
"I give you your tributes for district 9! Roketi Mauluga and Kenden Peeterson." He gives it a moment so everyone can applaud.
"Shake hands." I turn and see Kenden, who looks like she's barely breathing and is paler than I have ever noticed. Wait…she's the one girl who says hi to me every morning. I can't believe a rich properly brought up girl would notice a nobody like me.
We turned back to the audience and were led off back behind everything to our goodbye rooms.
Roketi you made one vow to do this, now make another. I promise to keep Kenden safe, and to be kind to her. I will make her feel welcome to these foreign hunger games!