District Eleven Reaping
Siva Equatia, 12
The air is so cold in the morning. That is how District Eleven works, sunny with cold wind. And right now the sun that provides warmth isn't around and just the cold wind. It will probably run crops. Great all we need is to have less for harvest. I can image the extra work I will have to do. I pull the ratty blanket closer to me trying to soak up some warmth.
Surely he isn't around. He is probably getting work. Of course he works hard because if my father didn't then he wouldn't be able to pay for his alcohol. That is all he cares about anyway, the drunk man. The thought of his drunken rants sends chills down my spine. But as much as I want to stay in bed all day the reaping is today and I want to be ready and out of the house before my father returns.
Come on Siv you need to get ready, the voice echoes through my thoughts and with his words it is like my brother is still around. Two years ago he was killed. Murdered by a jealous group of boys, in the dark. All he had was a book and a flashlight. They caught him by surprise and he had no hope, I have never looked at the dark the same way since. But I can hear him in my head. I just know it is him; he wouldn't leave me all alone! Damanius was just fourteen. He taught me all the knowledge he knew before he was murdered. Though I wouldn't tell a soul that.
I go through the pile of clothing on the floor. Maybe if my father was a drunk we would live nicer but he is a drunk. I pick out the ratty shirt my brother wore his first reaping. It still smells like him all this time. I have left it alone so it would and now that it is my first reaping I want to wear it just like he did. I change into it and then an old dull colored skirt. It all looks rather baggy on my small figure but I don't care.
You need to eat, Damanius whispers echo through my conscience. I nod and got to the kitchen, everything is a mess. I try to look for food but when I only find old rotten food I let out a heavy sigh and walk out of the small house scrunched together with all the other poor houses and walk down the street until I see the bush behind the house I have been getting to grow. I pick a handle full of berries from it and eat it quickly. I still feel so hungry but I don't take time to worry about that, as long as I don't starve I will be fine. At least that is what my brother says. And he was the smartest boy in his grade so I know what he says is right.
Walking back into the home I look in the dirty mirror. I don't look like many here in Eleven, it always caused people to bother my family for the fact we don't have tan or dark skin. I have light blonde hair and pale skin paired with emerald colored green eyes. I try to run my fingers through the knots in my hair until it sits flat and not knotted on my head. Satisfied I walk out of the house. I don't care if I will e early I don't feel like waiting in this place any longer then I have to. My father will be back and then what? I will have to deal with him complaining about his hangover.
When I find my way through the empty streets I see the Town Center. Everything is still being set up with people cleaning the area behind the stage and washing the plants from the wall so that it looks nice for the public to view. Though everything about eleven is all it covered in plants. I go to the check in table and see the woman give me a dirty look.
"You don't have to check in yet." She says. I hand her my hand anyway. I cringe as she pricks my finger taking my blood. "Okay you can go." She says and I nod and go to the area where everyone will be soon. There are some people, mostly spectators. And by the time I get a good spot I see some more people come. Stand in the back of the line for twelve year olds. My brother tells me and I tell him a yes through my head, this is how we talk. I go to stand but since so little people are here I just decide to sit down and watch as the people come.
I am sure I look strange. My face has always managed to stay clean and rather fresh looking with my light hair usually clean just because my brother makes sure to remind me but my clothing is always so ratty. At least I have clothing I guess.
I look down into the dirt and soon enough I hear the footsteps that make me get to my feet and see the crowd now swarming to check in and in an instant people are crowded and I stand waiting for the escort to start the reaping.
The escort, Yamane, dances onto the stage looking rather foolish and she gives us all a wave. I am about to wave back but when no one does I just stand there. "Happy Hunger Games and may the odds be ever in your favor!" She says. She reads our short list of Victors before playing the video. When that is done she starts making her way to the bowl for the females. I feel so nervous, what if I am picked? I am just twelve.
Yamane picks out a small slip of paper and clears her throat before reading the name and I can see the girls around me holding their breaths in anticipation and fear.
"Siva Equatia!" I go numb. That was my name! I freeze up in shock and I am sure I look pathetic. Siva you need to go to the stage.
"No that couldn't be me." I mutter to my brother realizing I said it out loud. You have to. I feel a Peacekeeper grab my arm and the drag me towards the stage and I snap out of it and walk forward on my own trying to look brave but I am sure I don't. Yamane gives me a hand and I take it walking up the steps and then sit down.
What now?
District Eleven
Dustin Barnette, 17
Waking up to a nice heater filling the room with warmth on an unusually cold day is something really wonderful. I smirk, too bad for the poorer groups who have to suffer through this weather. Well not my fault my dad actually knows how to put his life to use is it? No I can't help I am wealthy, though I guess you can say they can't help but be poor. But hey that isn't my problem they can't help but being poor. What am I supposed to do about it?
"Dustin sweetheart you need to come down to eat!" My mother's voice reaches me. I sigh frustrated and roll my eyes. Did she have to wake up me up? I get up lazily.
"Fine I will be down soon." I say rolling my eyes again and getting out of my comfy bed. Well whatever I well be getting back to it after the reaping anyway so no need to mess it. I smirk at the thought of who will be the victims this year. Hopefully that pesky Mania Yams he has been getting on my nerve. Of course I have tons of friends and some of them are annoying and I can get past that but he is just over that line of what I can take from people. He is poor anyway so he is likely to be picked with all the times his name is in that bowl.
Walking in my pajamas I just lazily put on my reaping outfit not wanting to have to walk back upstairs once I get downstairs and strut outside and down the stairs. When I reach the floor I walk into the kitchen where my father sits at a table eating a plate of food while my mother continues cooking.
"What is for breakfast?" I snap.
My mother smiles at me, I know she tries to be nice but there is just something about her smile that bothers me. She has never been that smart. "Eggs and bacon honey. You have to eat up so you are ready for the reaping." She says ruffling my hair and I frown trying to fix my hair as I take the plate and sit down at the table starting to dig into the warm food. I have to say it could be better cooked. Maybe it is just the fact she has to add vegetables into the eggs. Gross.
"Mom please none of this green stuff tomorrow." I comment and my mother gives me a nod and smile looking at me proudly. I roll my eyes and turn back to my plate.
"Son why aren't you wearing the new suit I got you?" My father asks curiously.
Like he cares, he just gives me whatever I want and goes to work. Like all he needs to do to be a good dead is give me things. Which works most of the time but once and a while it would be nice to talk to him. Not that I would ever admit that to him. "I didn't want to." I say like it is the most obvious thing. Because it is. How can he not figure that out on his own? Seriously I wonder how he is so wealthy sometimes.
"That is fine right honey?" My mother says and then looks to my father who just shrugs. "You look very adorable in that suit anyway." She says. Adorable? No. I am not adorable anymore, I am a teenager. But at least she complemented me in a strange mother way so I will let it pass.
"Whatever." I say with a shrug and turn back to my plat. By the time I finish up my mother is already done cleaning. I go to look in the mirror. Short red hair. Green eyes. One idiot decided one time to say my eyes are a puke green color but I just had my friends beat him up and it was all good. From then on he never insulted me. He was scared of me, good.
Smirking at that victory I turn to my parents. "Come on guys lets go?" I say.
"Oh can't you go on your own? We are both really busy." My mother says smiling. I blink. What am I hurt? No that is idiotic I don't need my parents they are just there to clean up and give me money. Right? I shrug trying to look unaffected and open the door walking out onto our porch and then down the stairs so I can make my way across the street to the Town Center. What an easy walk.
When I arrive a glare at the line of people. They all look away nervously as I wait for them to let me in the front. Then they don't. Idiots, fools even. I will make sure they get punished for this. I groan and just wait in the line complaining the entire time, they look annoyed but I don't care if they didn't want to be annoyed they should have just let me in the front of the line!
When I do reach the line I hand the woman my hand and she pricks my finger and takes my blood and then without a word I turn to go into the crowd for seventeen year old boys. When I do I push my way to the front and everyone lets me. People all give me weary looks.
Standing arms crossed at the front of the crowd the reaping begins. Yamane walks onto the stage, "Happy Hunger Games and may the odds be ever in your favor." She says reading the very short list of Victors from here. This is so annoying. Branch should have won last year, he was strong. But no they had to blind side him. Weaklings.
Then after the video everyone watches as she picks out a girl's name. I don't care enough to listen in on who it is because surely they will just die. But I do glance to see a girl look very shocked. She even mutters something that no one can hear. Then peacekeepers start to drag her. She looks about twelve. And like myself she doesn't have the distinguish looks of eleven. I imagine if she didn't wear such baggy and gross clothing and was older she would be pretty. But she is twelve and she does have ratty clothes.
She manages to break free from the Peacekeepers and walks to the stage on her own taking Yamane's hand to help her up since she is too small to get onto the stage easily. She goes to sit down and soon it is time for some idiot boy to be pulled.
"Dustin Barnette!" My name? Oh whatever someone will volunteer. I stand there bored waiting for someone to volunteer. Everyone looks at me strangely. When no one volunteers I get angry. How dear they not volunteer for me? My family can fire all of their parents! My family will not have this. I frown and walk angrily to the stage pushing the Peacekeepers to the stage and glare at the crowd.
"When I get back I will get my revenge." I comment to all of them hoping they hear. I hear laughter and even someone clapping. What is wrong with them? They are smiling! Whatever I will just win this and then my family will be even richer.
Aren't these two something XD? Yeah see before when I said if they have tragic pasts it needs to effect them a perfect example is Siva, because her dad is drunk and her brother drunk. But it led to her not exactly fully sane in her mind and has her thinking she hears her brother in her head. That is a good example of it effecting them. And Dustin... oh Dustin sweetheart you are just too much for words. But I had fun writing for these two.
THREE MORE REAPINGS! :D