Reapings

District Nine

Alessandra "Aly" Farro (13) D9F

"Stop it dad," I said.

With a sigh, dad kept the bottle of alcohol back on the table and stared at me through bloodshot eyes. I flinched but then cleared my throat. It was sad that whenever dad and I interacted, it was always about me trying to stop him from drinking. Mom tried too and now dad was really improving. At least he was willing to try.

"Today are the Reapings," he muttered softly, as if unable to actually understand what he was saying. It was a rather improper way of speaking, and I didn't like that, but I couldn't really say anything to dad about it.

"I know," I replied, "And I must get there on time. So should everyone."

Both he and dad worked in the processing plant. When I was seven, dad stole a bottle of beer from the wheat factory to party at a co-worker's place. He was hooked. He was addicted. Now he was an alcoholic and although mom tried really hard to hide the bottles from him, he always found them. It was funny actually. But now dad was trying. That was good.

Taking the bottle from the table, I walked out of the room.

"No wait Aly!" dad cried, "I need to take a swig."

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"Come on girl! I'm your father! Obey me. Give it here!"

"Mom, dad wants to-!"

"Shhh!" dad said, shaking his head violently, "Don't tell her. She'll find a different place to hide the bottles and-"

"And you won't get to have it," I supplied.

"No! It'll be hard work to find it."

"I won't give this to you," I said firmly.

"Aly-"

"Mom!"

"Okay! Okay!" dad said angrily, "Just get out now!"

He was not really abusive and I knew he yelled at me only because he was annoyed. Why wouldn't he be? I was trying to keep him from his addiction. While I completely understood his need for alcohol, I also understood that it wasn't good for him. Smiling slyly at him, I walked away and into the kitchen where Sorghum was.

"Your argument was fun to listen to," he commented, not looking up from the tea he was making. I chuckled.

"Well yeah," I replied, "I guess I have figured out dad's weakness."

Sorghum grinned at me as he poured out a cup of tea for me. He took a sip and then spewed it all out.

"Dammit! I put in salt instead of sugar!"

"Use proper language, Sorghum," I replied, setting the cup back on the table.

He rolled his eyes at me. "Stop being so proper," he grumbled, "And just act your age for once."

"I do act my age, brother. Cursing just doesn't seem to be the thing that people my age should do. It leaves a bad impression."

My brother sighed at that. I smiled at him lightly then glanced at my watch. It had been tough to get it to be honest and I had to work really hard. I valued it a lot.

"I have forty minutes before I leave for the Reapings," I said, "So maybe you can make another cup of tea for me?"

Sorghum sighed as his shoulders slumped and dragged himself to the stove. That's when Azalea's voice brought my attention to it. I stood up with a grin and ran towards the doorway when Azzy and Saffra came in.

"Aly!" Azzy squealed and then hugged me, which I returned. She was a year elder to me but we were almost inseparable. Saffra, meanwhile, crept up on Sorghum.

"I want tea too…" he whispered sneakily in his ear.

"Ah!" Sorghum cried out, startled and on finding who it was, a frown crept up on his face.

"Seriously, who does that?" he asked.

"Saffra does," I replied as the boy came running over to us, laughing at my brother's reaction. He was the most immature of my friends and maybe that's why I loved him so much. Sometimes it was good to be with someone who was not like you.

"Who do you think will be Reaped?" Azzy asked.

"It could be anyone," I replied, "Someone unknown. You. Me. Anyone."

"That's not the most encouraging thing to say," Sorghum muttered as he set the tea cups on the table.

"But it's the truth," I replied sadly. Whoever it would be, they would certainly not deserve this.

What would I do if I were chosen? I didn't look all that good but not too bad either. Unconsciously running my hand through my straight, blond hair, I stared into the teacup. Anyway, maybe my looks could get me sponsors? My brother had green-grey eyes like me and we were both skinny and light. He was considered to be good-looking. So maybe I was too?

"Thanks for the tea," I said as I finished it. Unlike Sorghum himself, who was just moving the cup in circles.

"What's wrong?" Azzy and I asked him together.

"Guys, I just hope it's not one of us," he replied, "It'll be a _ bad day if it does."

"Don't worry, it'll be none of us," Saffra muttered reassuringly.

Frowning, I stood up to get ready. Fifteen minutes to get ready and get to the Square. Good enough.

"You're leaving so soon?" he asked.

"Yeah. I don't like being late."

Azzy rolled her eyes at that and the other too just looked at each other. I nodded at them and then went to my room. I couldn't be late.

Mateo Dorsani (15) D9M

"I'll be back in an hour, Miles," I said.

My brother didn't respond; instead he kept staring at the television. There was nothing even mildly interesting going on. It was a cooking show and everyone at home knew that Miles couldn't cook. No, he never paid attention to anyone or anything. He never noticed whether anyone was home or not. And I was okay with that.

My house was on the outskirts of the main town, the tall fields standing as barricades in between. Life was boring for me. I was lucky to have a middle class family, because most people couldn't even afford a proper house, but still, I could do with some recreation every now and then. Which was definitely not available to me.

I saw a group of boys walking towards the fields at a distance. Laughing and talking. One of them made a joke that made the others laugh. Friends… I scoffed. Nobody in the world was anyone's friend. And especially not in this District.

Walking on the dirt track, the past memories came flooding back to me. When I was young, my parents were never home. My brother didn't care so I used to sneak out of the house to make friends. Making my way through all the fields I would go to the main town where I met a bunch of children. They were incredibly sweet to me but had to work. Little did I know that they were using me to do all their work and never really cared for me. And I thought that they were my 'friends'.

Then I grew up a bit and started visiting the town more often. Roaming around alone, a boy of merely ten, I met a couple of boys who were stubborn and who were always being yelled at by their parents to go do some work. They didn't sweet-talk me into doing their work, they got straight to the point. They called it a game. And like the naïve kid I was, I believed them and did all their chores without questioning it.

But for how long could I continue that? In the end I asked them why I had to do all this work. They never helped me, or fed me or even offered me water. things turned very ugly when I questioned them and I still remembered the beating I had received that day. Two bruised eyes, a swollen lip and a couple of broken bones. I couldn't forget it.

They were scolded and my parents met their parents and asked for a severe punishment. I was asked to forgive and forget about it all but how could I? that incident opened my eyes after all. I took my revenge on each one of them. Attacked them individually, and threatened them that if they would tell anyone, something worse could happen to them too. And I meant it.

From then on, trusting people was not in my nature. And I was right to think that way.

One of the boys pushed me slightly. Accidentally of course. But I didn't really like it.

"Watch where you're going!" I said angrily.

"Sorry," the boy said, raising his hand slightly. Shaking my head, I walked past them. I couldn't really be bothered with everyone.

Soon I was standing right in front of the endless fields. Every day I would come here, only to relive the past memories. It would remind me that friends weren't to be trusted. That there were no such things as friends to begin with. That the world was a cruel place.

Many people just walked past me until one girl asked me, "Excuse me, can you tell me where Mr Harp lives?"

Smiling at her, I replied, "Just down this street. Go right at the first turn and you'll find his house."

"Thank you."

"You're most welcome."

She smiled at me and then walked on the path that I had told her to go. Looking back at my wrist watch, I thought it was time to go.

"Hey listen!" one of the neighbourhood boys came running over to me.

"Yeah?"

"Can you lend me some money? I need to buy grocery and I forgot to bring my money."

Of course I could lend it to him.

"Uh sorry Ken, but I don't have anything with me right now."

Just because I could didn't mean I would.

"Just please check Mateo?" he asked in an almost pleading way. I felt very bad lying to him; he really needed that money and I knew he would have to go back home to get it if I didn't lend him some bucks. But what if didn't return it? I couldn't take that risk.

"Sorry mate, I don't have anything."

"Well, it's alright," he said with a sad smile and started on his way back home. I sighed. It was always very sad to turn someone away when they needed help but it was necessary. I almost called him back but then closed my mouth. No…

"It's almost an hour now," I said softly, "Maybe I should go home."

But really, it wasn't necessary. Miles wouldn't notice anyway and mum and dad weren't home. As usual.

And why should I dress up for the Reapings? It was a horrible thing anyway. I wouldn't be Reaped though, or that's what I thought. But with my luck everything was possible.

Running my hand through my brown hair, I made sure that they remained neat and tidy and didn't block my vision. They went well with my chocolaty brown eyes, and high cheekbones that everyone in my family had. However, my shaggy eyebrows didn't let me create the impression that I wanted to. It was annoying, along with my average stature of five foot eight. I was dressed in a black shirt and pants and they looked good on me. I was right, why should I bother to go home and change?

Walking through the fields could get tedious but the Reapings would be held in the Square which was in the main town. I just hoped Miles would notice the time and come here too or else he'd be in trouble. But he would, he'd never missed a Reaping.

And sure enough, when I reached the Square he was there.

"How did you get here so fast?" I asked him as I joined the line to get my finger pricked.

"You're here too?" he sounded mildly surprised. Rolling my eyes, I shut my mouth and let him proceed. When it was my turn I brought my finger forward and the Peacekeeper pricked it. I shut my eyes as the metal pierced my skin. It actually hurt.

"Good luck Mateo," Miles said. I nodded at him and went to join the other boys of fifteen. There was a lot of talking there, but also a deadly atmosphere. It was natural of course.

"District Nine, it's a pleasure to be here!" Lavender said. Just like her name she was… lavender. None of us clapped, or even said anything. She flashed us somewhat of an angry look and then we clapped politely.

"And now we shall choose the girl!"

Poor kid. I just hoped it wasn't someone young.

"Alessandra Farro!"

The cameras found a girl of thirteen, crying miserably on the spot. The Peacekeepers waited for a moment for her to stop and just when they were about to get her, she stopped rather abruptly. Wiping her tears away, she started walking towards the stage with confidence. What was with this girl?

Alessandra politely declined the offer to say anything and flashed a smile at Lavender, which th escort seemed to love a lot.

"And now our lucky boy is Mateo Dorsani!"

Alessandra "Aly" Farro (13) D9F

I wanted to cry. To howl and shriek and yell and curse. But I couldn't. I wouldn't. It wouldn't be proper, especially not on national television. So I had to pretend that I was confident but realistically speaking, what chance did a thirteen year old girl from Nine have?

"Mateo Dorsani!"

The said boy, being only fifteen, was definitely scared. He had turned pale and just stood there in shock. Then suddenly realising that the cameras were pointed at him, his expression turned very calm and he started ambling towards the stage. Flashing cheeky smiles at everyone, he was soon standing beside me.

"Do you want to say something, dear?"

Taking the microphone, he said, "I'll try my best, my friends. Don't give up on me."

Lavender clapped him on the back and I stared at him. He must be scared; he just wasn't showing it. He smiled at me in a reassuring manner and I smiled back. This would be interesting.

His grip was strong; something I realised when we shook hands. Strong grip meant confidence.

"Give it up for your tributes! Alessandra Farro and Mateo Dorsani!"

The people clapped slightly but very sadly. I could feel the reason of their sadness.

I would try my best. I was pretty sure Mateo would try his best. But would our best be the best?

District Nine never really had any scope…

Hello everyone. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. What are your thoughts on Mateo and Aly? Who do you think has a better chance at this thing?

Have a great day and thank you for reading!