Chapter Eight

District Five- Reapings

Ada Linus 18

I close my eyes and play with the bottom of my reaping dress where the hem goes to about my knees. It is a blue color with purple and white flowers and a leather belt around my waist with the sleeves ending not even five inches from my shoulders. It is a hand-me- down. A neighbor gave it to me because the out grew it. And frankly though it was too big and doesn't exactly fit me right I think it was a sweet thing of her to do since she could have sold it instead.

My dirty white canvas flat completed my reapings outfit. I would like to say I also have my hair in some fancy do but well that isn't exactly possible. My hair is short cut to around my ears in a pixie hair cut. It is a dark brown color and along with the brown hair I have ashen skin with brown eyes that are hiding behind my metal framed glasses.

On the lower part of my arms are all kinds of burn marks. I have always been fascinated with the idea of science which along with power my District is known for. So I often hold my own little science experiments and I have gotten scars from the more high scale ones. I don't mind though. I might have scars but they remind me of everything I have learned. I am one of the top five students in my school and teachers are often proud of me and love to show me off. Maybe that sounds bad but what can I say, my intelligence is the one thing I let myself be proud of. Pretty much the only thing though.

While I got into a wonderful program called, "Future Engineers of District Five" I have never had a real boyfriend like most girls. But if I was given the choice I would pick the first option without hesitation. And though I can turn wire into almost anything I can't make it into a friend. I guess I am just anti-social. Well not anti-social. I just have the attitude of it. I like being quiet though. And I do have friends.

Okay make that friend.

Herman LaPorte. His tan skin, wild red hair, and green eyes also hidden by glasses. He doesn't look like many here in District Five. I mean yeah the red hair isn't too rare but his overall appearance… it just makes him stand out. But still he has managed like me to just blend in. He always is helping me with science experiments and different kinds of things. He is probably the only kid my age I socialize with.

I roughly push my hair behind my ear but it just falls back out because of its length and I just give up and walk out of my closet sized room and into the hallway of the small apartment I share with my father. My mom died of lung cancer. It stills hurts my heart to just think of her beautiful pale skin so gray looking. And her black hair usually full with beautiful waves just flat and brittle. Then the idea of her green eyes once full of life just dull. Having to relive that image in my head is killer. It sent my father into a depression for a few months. He just loved her so much. But his friends were able to pull him back into reality. But I became self reliant in that time period. I know how to take care of myself. I don't know what would have happened if my dad didn't have his friends and myself there for him. He would have just wasted away.

Unlike myself my father rather go out and get a few drinks with his pals then stay home. No my dad isn't a drunk. Can't someone like to just hang out with his adult male friends without being an alcoholic? Seriously. But anyway I have long since forgiven my father. He was only gone for a small time and he still brought food home. Though most food here in District Five has to be microwaved. We defiantly aren't as bad off as a place like District Twelve or anything but life is different here in District Five. It is much more urban. But even though I know people living off simply bread. I am better off than some which is why the reapings don't bother me that much.

I mean I don't even have tessarea (my father refused) and some have tons.

I walk into the kitchen biting into a warm bagel sitting on the counter, even though I am not poor a fresh bagel is rare, if anything when my family gets them they are old stale ones that my dad got for a bargain.

"Ada are you ready?" My father asks me. Though he is better without my mother he has aged so quickly. He has short gray hair and a long nose with thin lips.

I nod my head continuing to eat. "Yeah all ready to go to the reapings." I say. I just want to get this all over with and wish well to the unlucky two that will be shipped off to the faraway evil that is the Capitol. That is what they are to me though. Just some faraway evil.

I much rather just keep my mind focused on situations going on right here in good old District Five.

"Okay then once you are done eating get going so you can meet Herman in time and still check in before the Mayor gets onto the stage." My father says pulling me into a hug. "Tonight Drew and Quentin are coming over for dinner okay?" I nod. The two are my dad's close friends and work friends.

I finish eating and then give a small wave to my father before heading out the door until I see the red hair of Herman. I give him a small smile as he stands in the hot day on the street. "Let's go," He says patting me somewhat awkwardly on the shoulder before we head off to the Town Center.

On the way there I don't say a word and we just walk in a peaceful quiet manner before we go to check in and separate to go to our gender and age group. Once with the eighteen year olds girls I see the mayor drown on with his speech (Not a word changed I might add) until he walks away and I let out a sigh of relief until the escort walks onto the stage and to the bowl.

Her hand dangles over the top before she dips it in a bowls out a piece of paper. "Ladies first! And may the odds be ever in your favor." She says before walking to the microphone with the paper in her fingers and then reading the name. "Ada Linus!" She says loudly into the microphone standing in front of her and my eyes widen.

I know with my glasses they must be magnified too. I only had my name in so many times though! This was supposed to be my last year… no I don't believe it. I blink a few my cheeks red from all the eyes on me before the world goes sideways and the world goes black and the last thing I hear are screams.

Blinking away I feel my lashes brush against the glass of my glasses and I mutter to myself confused to find myself in the arms of a Peacekeeper. Though everything doesn't feel right and I feel awful I jump out of the twenty year olds arm. No way will I let a Peacekeeper land a hand on me. "

"What happened?" I ask my face drawing back in a frown and my eyebrows knitted in sadness as I realize I am still in the Town Center with the enter District staring at me. Even the mentors were. Even the mayor too. Oh shit…

"You were reaped." Yeah kind of figured that out by now Peacekeeper person.

"Just take me to jail!" I ask horrified.

He laughs at me. "No can do," Then he starts to drag me to the stage and I don't do a thin a just let him drag me to the stage.

There is nothing I can do.

District Five

Oz Tesla

I look at my brother. He is twenty yet still he, just like my father, is a nuclear researcher. Some say it is the best way for energy. I don't really know to be sure. But even if I did have an opinion on it I wouldn't tell a soul. I don't want to go in details about it but once I told someone my idea and it didn't go too well.

Actually it ended up with them stealing the idea. But it doesn't matter right now. Today is the reaping. My last reaping. I don't even have my name in there more than it needs to be. So I tell myself with ease that everything well be fine. I am eighteen now. I slip out of my bed and change into my reaping outfit. White shirt with khakis.

I have blonde hair with blue eyes. And of course glasses. My brother told me though once that I would look way better without out them but like I care. I like my usual glasses and lab coat look. But I don't wear a lab coat now. Not on the reapings. But as soon as I get home I will put it back on.

Walking out of my room I go to the table down the hall in my home and begin to eat the breakfast my dad has laid out onto the wooden table and don't speak a word and just begin to dig right in and my brother looks up from his plate across the table. "Goodness Oz calm down the food isn't going to walk away." He says.

I scowl at him. "Not my fault I don't want to be embarrassing and arrive late." I tell him. He rolls his eyes but I shrug it off and continue to eat until everything is gone.

My mother walks into the room. And then my brother Jack smiles at her and I just continue to eat until it is all gone and I feel satisfied with what I have eaten. I finish putting my plate into the sink and heading to the door and turn around.

"Come on everyone I don't want to be late." I say to them all bitterly.

Jack raises his eyebrow at me. "Why so early?" He asks.

"Because being punctual is very important." I say and open the door. "Well it isn't like you all even need to be there so I guess I will meet you there?" I ask them.

My mother gives me a smile. "Sure honey." And I wave goodbye quickly walking down the street, it isn't even that long of a walk because the Town Center is only a block down. But from here I can already see a crowd gathered at the Center and see a station to check in and make my way over to there.

Once there I wait in line until finally I reach the front and can put my hand out so the woman can check me in and walk away after not bothering to say a word and search the crowd quickly before seeing her. She is my age. Short brown hair and glasses. Ada.

The only reason I recognize the girl is because like her I am one of the top students. But the darn girl managed to upstage me and place above me. Though it made me have a slight grudge on her I do respect her intelligence just like the rest top students in my class. They represent our District quite well.

And last year sadly we lost one of those students to the Hunger Games. Turns out he was all book smarts. You can't just have your head locked in a book though you need to learn about the world around you by the world itself.

I turn walking to where the other eighteen year old boys are and stand almost bored as the mayor goes on with his speech. I have it memorized you know. I can say it in my sleep. Well not exactly that would be quite impossible.

Then the escort begins to pick the Female Tribute's name and I kind of drown off turning my head and inspecting every last detail of the buildings surrounding the stage and the crowd. Then I turn and see my family with the other spectators and Jack gives me a smile and I nod my head silently and look up into the camera. Though it is angled at the escort I can see just how wonderful of a device it is.

Then a name is called.

"Ada Linus!"

What? Could it be that District Five is once again losing another top student? That is if she loses. I don't truly know though. She sticks to herself and that one friend of her so it isn't like I would know her that well anyway. But I do know how shocked she looks.

Her face is torn and hysterical looking and I know she will faint. Surprisingly enough, I am right. A girl behind her catches her and she looks around with the girl just five feet is limp in her arms. I can't imagine she weighs a lot though. Defiantly not more than a hundred. Maybe ninety.

Then a Peacekeeper takes Ada from the girl's arms and he holds her and the camera is angles at her and everyone scream for a moment taking it in before there is silence. Just silence as we all stare at the fainted girl. She is truly not making a good impression for her sponsors.

Then she wakes up. She struggles asking if she can just go to jail for some reason before she is dragged to the stage. I space out bored.

"Oz Tesla!" The name brings me from my silence and I hear an aggravated screech and see Jack. I roll my eyes at him trying to stay calm.

Looks like we are defiantly losing a top student this year. I can only hope that we lose just one and not two precious minds.

Hm Tesla? Sound familiar to you guys? I think someone else had that last name. Guess who! Okay well anyway I know this is shorter than the last but still. Anyway love these two and the idea the Oz's last name is Tesla. Anyway these two are from the wonderful- stareyed in LA and Freeces oh and now that this is a closed syot I took away the SYOT part because why attract people who are just here to report this though I have put so much hard work in this?