District 8 Reaping
Thank you guys again for all your reviews. I will tell you this for certain- I will be finished with Reapings by next Friday at the latest, if not earlier. By the way, if you have any interesting ideas for the arena, don't hesitate to post them. I'm definitely having Tracker Jackers, but if you can give me some good ideas for new mutants I may use them. Enjoy the chapter and May the Odds be Ever in your Favour.
Wonder Jones POV
"Wonder?"
"Hmm?" I murmur sleepily.
My mom shakes me awake and then she starts to laugh.
"Have you been sewing… whatever this is… all night?" she chuckles, pulling a piece of thread out of my hair.
"No… not the parts when I was asleep" I say, stretching.
"I wouldn't be surprised if you were sewing then too. What are you wearing to the reaping?"
I get up and show her my two options- A yellow baby doll dress and a knee length black and white sundress.
"Oh honey, did you make them yourself?" she says, impressed.
"Yeah, ages ago. I've made a few but these are my favourites. I thought the last outfit I wear in District 8 should be special" I say, slightly shyly.
"Wonder, this is not the last time you'll be in District 8! You're only in the reaping err… let me see… two… three…"
"10 times mom."
"10? How, how have you ended up in there so many times?"
I'm a bit freaked about it myself. I only know because my friend Sycamore was there the last time I got tesserae and said "You do know you're in there 10 times now right?" I just decided not to tell my mom. She tends to go a bit scatter brained about these things anyway, so I didn't think she'd be too sure anyway.
"Well, I'm in there 6 times automatically; one for every year of my age since I was 12 and then I got tesserae 4 times remember?" I explain.
"No, I don't. Who said you can get tesserae?" she cries, her voice gradually getting more high pitched in a panicky tone.
"Dad"
Then I realise I've just ratted dad out; I'd forgotten the whole tesserae plan. You see, I get my calm attitude from my dad. He is also in agreement that my mom freaks out way to easy. We're not the poorest family but we've got to the point a few times where we've ran low on oil or grain so in exchange for my dad taking some fabric from the textiles factory for me to use, I've gotten tesserae. It's a small price to pay for fabric that'll last me a couple of months. My mother clicks her fingers in my face to get my attention; it's one of those annoying things she does that I hate but kind of wish I could do.
"Hey! Your father was in on this? Oh, he is in so much trouble" she growls to herself.
She looks at me, distracted from her grumbling for a moment.
"Wear the black and white one; it'll suit you and besides the yellow's to short" she says quietly.
I give her a grateful half-smile and she walks down the stairs. You know the best thing about having an attic bedroom? The shouting from downstairs just sounds like buzzing. It's only 8 o'clock so I take a long bath, wash my hair and put on the dress. I tie my dark hair into a single plait and put on some clear lip gloss. I hear a knock on the door. That'll be Sycamore; I rush down the stairs but bump into my dad.
"Well, your mother's very upset" he says coldly.
"The tesserae plan was your idea, not mine" I shrug.
"Hey, now don't start blaming this on me."
"I'm trying my best not to do just that. Love you dad."
I kiss him on the cheek and smile at him sympathetically. He opens his mouth to say something else but I stop him before he can.
"Dad, chill; it'll all be over tonight when I haven't been reaped and we're celebrating" I say reassuringly.
I open the door to see Sycamore adjusting her hair slide.
"Sup Thread!" she grins.
Thread is her nickname for me, since I'm always in my room sewing. It was quite sweet at first, but when the whole school starts calling you it, it gets beyond a joke.
"Hey Sycamore! Is that my head band you wearing?" I ask suspiciously.
"Sorry Thread, there are just times when a sista needs a little extra. Consider it a compliment" she replies.
This is so typical of Sycamore! She's always borrowing my stuff without asking. I let her get away with it because she's my friend, as long as she doesn't start advertising my stuff like I rent it out.
"So, how many times are you in there?" I ask.
"Nineteen" she says, almost cringing at the thought "You?"
"Ten"
I feel bad for Sycamore. She has four brothers so they get through a lot more oil and grain. Luckily her brother Leo is 14, so they split the amount they need. To be honest, I'm more worried for her then I am for myself.
"Thirteen times, I've had to get tesserae. It's like the universe is trying to tell me something" she complains, worried.
I put my arm round her.
"Don't talk like that; there's loads of girls in that reaping bowl; people with more reaping slips that you and me put together" I smile.
"You're right. We better get going. The odds definitely won't be in our favour if we're late" she jokes, back to her usual self again.
As we walk along the street, I look up to my bedroom window. Inside, where all my stuff is just lying around. I didn't even take a proper look where I'd put anything this morning. I grip my thread necklace and wish that I'll get another chance to see my room.
Chime Hathaway POV
"Where do you want the table lady?" asks a removal man.
"Kitchen please" smiles my mom.
We're just moving back to District 8. Well back in the case of my parents. For me, this is the first time I've been here. I've lived in the Capitol all my life. My mother played piano in a big restaurant and my father managed a large department store. We were pretty happy. Until Salem came to power; now we have to move back to District 8 where my family originated. I sit outside the new house, sketching. I draw the house. We were lucky to get a fairly big one. I draw the outline first, carefully, so they're relatively straight.
"Chime!" yells my mother from inside the house.
I look up from my sketch pad, place it on the ground and run into the house. My mother trying to help the removal men move my piano up the stairs but in the process she's got trapped against the wall.
"I don't think we'll be able to get the piano upstairs Chime" she explains, trying to seem sympathetic but I'm not agreeing to this without a fight.
"Come on mom, I have to have it up there. Look, if I just…" I start giving the piano the tiniest push.
It responds by getting closer to my mom.
I go outside and see her face is right up against the window. She glares at me.
"Don't you dare laugh" she murmurs but I can't help myself.
My father walks through the gate carrying a box of stuff. He sees me laughing.
"What's so funny?" he asks, but I don't need to answer before he sees her himself.
He drops the box (resulting in a worrying smashing sound) and cracks up laughing himself. Suddenly mom is released as three removal men move the piano. She shakes, as if the piano has covered her in something, before walking outside to us.
"I suppose you thought that was hilarious" she says angrily at me.
"Come on, Marina dear, it wasn't Chime's fault" my father says, still chuckling slightly.
Before she can reply, a peacekeeper appears at our door.
"Excuse me ma'am, but are you aware your child is legally required to be at the reaping this moment?" he asks threateningly.
My mother looks ready to give him a piece of her mind but my father sees it coming.
"My apologies, sir. We've just moved here this morning you see and…" he explains.
"Quite. But I'm afraid we don't make rules especially for you Mr…"
"Hathaway? George Hathaway"
"Well Mr Hathaway, I must insist on escorting your son to the reaping effective immediately. You and your wife may meet him at the justice building if he is chosen of course"
The peacekeeper turns to me.
"You, young man are extremely lucky the escort is running late. Come along"
"Now just wait one minute!" scowls my mother standing in the peacekeeper's way.
The peacekeeper turns to her impatiently and out of pure brutality pushes her to side, only enough to make her stumble. My father stands there, helpless as I am led away by the peacekeeper. Could anything else go wrong today?
Wonder Jones POV
If Cornelius Marigold (the District 8 escort) says one more word about the "beautiful clothing made here in District 8" I'm going to scream. Ok, I understand his appreciation, but we're not here for a doo-dang fashion show. This is the reaping; it's a disgustingly cruel piece of entertainment for those bigwigs in the Capitol; I'm not talking about the ordinary Capitol people, I'm talking about those stupid airheads who spend $50,000 or more for some mental stylists to turn them blue. I could do that in seconds with $10 worth of paint. Cornelius Marigold isn't blue, he's just overly tanned; you know, the kind you can only get from a bottle.
"And even though the tributes from District 8 won't have a chance against the Careers…" he continues trailing off upon realising he's said something completely stupid.
"Why don't we? We should be Careers too you know" I whisper to Sycamore.
"I don't care. Who wants to be known as a Career? It's a stupid name because there stupid people" she shrugs.
"Yeah but it still doesn't make it ri-"
"Shh! He's picking the girl tribute"
He walks over to the girls reaping bowl.
"Ladies first" he smiles sneakily.
At exactly the same time, Sycamore and I grab each other's hand and squeeze it tight.
"Wonder Jones"
I close my eyes for a moment just to let out any emotion I have in my brain. I take a deep breath and walk up to the stage. Cornelius winks at me for some reason, I'm not sure why.
"And now for the boys" he says into the microphone.
He picks a reaping paper from the boy's reaping bowl but just as he reads it a boy and a peacekeeper arrive. I assume the boy didn't realise he was meant to be here.
"Chime Hathaway"
The boy freezes on the spot. I do not wanna be in his shoes right now.
Chime Hathaway POV
Could my day get any worse? The horrible peacekeeper who had "escorted" me here gave me a push towards the stage. Escort my ass. He told me hurry up every 10 seconds even though I was usually in front of him. I walk up to the stage and decide to smile at the audience; no use making everyone worry, right?
"Ladies and Gentleman, our District 8 tributes- Wonder Jones and Chime Hathaway" Cornelius announces cheerfully.
He turns to us.
"Go to the justice building kids. Corny's gotta go take a smoke" he says.
We nod at him and head up to the building. I take a look at this girl- whose name I missed. She's a bit older than me and she looks relatively strong. It'll be a good idea for me to try and get an alliance with her.
Wonder Jones POV
I sit in the justice building, thinking about what'll do. I'll have to try and get an alliance with the Careers. Chime Hathaway, the District 8 boy, didn't look too strong. I'll feel bad if I don't get in an alliance with him but I gotta do what I gotta do to survive. My parents arrive in the room.
"Oh Wonder, why did you get tesserae? Why?" my mum wails the second she gets through the door.
"I'm so sorry honey. If I'd known this was gonna happen I would have never made this deal" my dad says guiltily.
"Yes, you never think of anything do you Oscar? I said it to you this morning- every time she gets tesserae just increases the chance she'll get picked- and now look!"
"Mum, calm down ok. The last thing I want is for you guys to fight while I'm gone. I'll come back, I promise" I say, trying to smile reassuringly even though I'm terrified.
"That's my girl! Honey, make us proud. We love you" says my father, trying to console my mother whose now sobbing hysterically.
"Goodbye dad. Goodbye mom. I'll do this for you guys"
"We know you will honey" he smiles sadly.
Chime Hathaway POV
Why did my family have to be from District 8? My family said their goodbyes pretty quickly. I thought it was to stop my mom crying before I saw the tears falling down my father's face from the corner of my eye. He left but my mother quickly turned back to me.
"I think you forgot this" she says hanging the musical note charm by face "It'll bring you luck".
She kisses me on the cheek and leaves the room. I squeeze the charm in my hand. The rate I'm going, I'm gonna need all the luck I can get.
Just one more thing- sorry Chime's family goodbye was a little short. It was only because I thought it'd be too similar to Wonder's considering they have a similar family background.