A/N Few! That took slightly longer than I had hoped... Anyway, after struggling to write this chapter for the past three months, having to adjust one of the characters and then restarting the whole chapter yet again... I'm done! I sure hope it was worth the wait... Here is the District 11 Reapings!
District 11 Reapings
Samara Fields
I glance at Christi as I drag my tattered, leather diary out from under my pillow. My diary is the one thing that keeps me together most of the time. It keeps my mind moving forward, leaving the past where it belongs: at the back of my mind.
Sunday 1st August
It's finally here; the day of Christi's last ever reaping. I would say I'm glad. But that would be lying. The truth is I'm worried for her. It may be her last year, but that means that she's in even more danger of being reaped. It doesn't help that she's been putting her name in for tesserae ever since Mum and Dad died... 11 times her name is in there. I know there are others with forty something but that won't stop me worrying. I'll never stop worrying. I need her more than anything, and she needs me t-
"Hey, Samara?" I slammed my diary shut. "It's only me silly! I didn't mean to scare you!" Christi settles next to me, my creaky bed groaning under both of our weight.
"I wasn't scared... Just startled!" I respond, gently tucking my diary back under my thin, straw-filled pillow.
"Sure you were" she grins as me. "Anyway, I just wanted to know if you wanted to come with me to the orchards? You know, just to relax before the reapings?"
"Okay, I just need to get changed first." Christi gets up to leave the room but stops abruptly at the door.
Looking at me expectantly, she says "You know, I've got this dress that mum bought me when I was 16. It doesn't fit me anymore, but it'll probably look amazing on you. If you wanted, you could wear it to the reaping?"
"I'd love to" I beam back at her.
"You go quickly have a bath and I'll dig it out of the wardrobe. The water's already run for you."
Ten minutes later, I'm fresh out of the bath and dressed in Christi's dress. "You look beautiful" she says, a proud smile spreading across her face. Small pink, blue and yellow flowers cover the dress which flows down almost to my knees. Simply add my tan sandals and it's perfect. "Those icy blue flowers are almost the colour of your eyes, they really bring them out."
"I love it Christi." I say, hugging her bony frame and breathing in her homemade perfume. "Thank you."
"If only Mum and Dad could see you now... They'd be so proud of you." She squeezes my cheek gently. "Come on then, let's go over to the orchard." We stride out of our wreck of a house together and onto the dusty street leading to the orchards. Before long, rows and rows of fruit trees line the roads. Apples, pears and plums: all the things that we spend weeks caring for only to send every last fruit off to the Capitol. None of it goes to us though, not a single slice.
Melodic voices float out from between the branches. You see, in District 11, we don't let all the bad things that have happened to us in the past get us down. Instead, we sing our sorrows away. Most of the time, the Mockingjays will pick up our tune and sing right on alongside us. It gives us hope. Hope that one day, we'll be free.
Christi and I leave the dirt path behind and head off into the trees, our voices melting in with the others.
Oliver Grimm
"Look at you, handsome!" Chelsy beams and embraces me as Chase and I reach her door.
"It's not too much, is it?" I wasn't sure about the grey tux and bowtie to begin with. It seems to be growing on me though.
"No! Not at all! I love it" She grins as me. "You look pretty good too Chase, that shirt really looks good on you!"This obviously cheers Chase up loads. He was born an albino which made it even harder for him to get clothes than normal people.
"Come on Uniques! Off to the field!" I take hold of Chelsy's hand and all three of us make our way to our place. We first met while working in the fields. The one thing about us that set us apart from everyone else brought us three together. I've always been extremely socially awkward; I find it hard to talk to anyone that I'm not close to. Chase is an albino which automatically made him a target for bullying. And Chelsy, she has anxiety issues which makes her worry about even the smallest things. This had made us loners for many years. When we're all together though, it seems that our bonds are stronger than ever.
I met both of them when I was 11 and we immediately became friends. We decided to call ourselves 'The Uniques' because that's exactly what we are. Then, a year after we started hanging out, I discovered the most amazing thing. It turns out that the huge crush I had been harbouring over Chelsy for the past year had been mutual! We ended up meeting up late at night in the orchards and have been dating ever since.
"How's your mum been recently then...?" Chelsy and Chase are probably the only ones that I'll talk to openly about my Mother. I feel like no one else would understand.
"Not good... she's always like this when the games come around. I think she's worried that Bolod or I will be picked. I mean, she keeps on reminding me about what those District 5 tributes did to my Dad..."
"I've been thinking about that too... If you do get reaped, don't do anything stupid okay?"
"Don't worry about that Chelsy; I'm not going to go on some revenge hunt. I'm not crazy, unlike my mother..."
"I know... I just worry that if you get into that arena and come face to face with those District 5 kids, you'll just see red..."
"Look Chelsy. I love you to pieces and I'm not going to throw all this away for a stupid revenge plot. I will stay by you forever and will never leave your side. Okay?"
"Okay" she places her small hands around my neck and leans in. Her soft lips land on mine and everything in the world seems to be a little less important.
"Okay! Okay!" Chase calls out from beside us, pushing us apart. "I have withstood all your soppy love confessions but I will not stand by and watch you play tonsil tennis!" We all burst out laughing at Chase's terrible joke.
"You know Chase, some of your jokes are just so terrible that they're hilarious!" I slap him on the back, still laughing.
Samara Fields
As we approach the growing crowd of reaping children, Christi drags me aside. Her deep brown eyes, that remind me so much of our father, meet mine. "I know you're worried about today-" she takes my hands in hers "- but don't be. We'll be fine, I promise you." I feel like I'm twelve again, going to my first reaping. Except I had my parents to turn to then; Christi is the only family I have left now. Softly, I squeeze her hands in mine. "You go off and find your friends. I'll meet you after it's finished, okay?"
"Sure" I reply.
"Go on then Samara, It's going to be fine." She gives me a weak smile as I turn away to meet my friends.
Only moments later, I feel a slight tap on my shoulder. I turn my head, only to discover... nothing? "Huh?" I ask myself. Thinking that I must have imagined the tap, I continue onwards. Another tap, this time from the opposite side. Yet when I look, there's no one there. Confusion sweeps over me. That's when I hear the fits of giggles coming from the other side of me.
"We got you!" Brooklyn calls out excitedly, emerging out of the crowd. Desperately trying to stop their laughs from escaping, Heather and Kylie appear after Brooklyn. "Oh, we got you good Samara! We got you good!"
"It was you! I should have known!" Brooklyn, Heather and Kylie have been my friends for what seems like forever. They've stuck with me through thick and thin and I know that I can rely on them to cheer me up whenever I'm feeling down. "You know I'm going to have to get you back now, right?"
"You couldn't trick me in a million years!" Kylie challenges.
"You want to bet?"
"Uhu-"
"Move!" a burly peacekeeper bellows as he edges us and the other children towards the sections. Silently, we obey and hastily slip into the crowded group of 16 year olds. Nervous murmurs spread through the crowd as we wait for it to begin.
My whole body tenses up as out district mayor takes his place on the stage. Hamish Denser, also known as my parent's killer. My fists clamp, tiny fingernails digging into my palms. Brooklyn squeezes my arm, knowing how much I detest even the sound of his voice. I fasten my eyes shut, trying to block him out until our district escort, Clarissa Fray, takes over.
A red bird's nest sits atop of her head... literally. Twigs and feathers covered in some sort of glitter stick into her wig. Painted vines weave themselves around the monstrosity like tiny snakes. And then, to top it all off, a pair of miniature orange birds rest on top. I seriously hope they're fake...
"Welcome, my beauties! Welcome!" she calls out into the crowd. "Now, I hope all you little chickadees are ready for this, because here come the girls!" A huge sigh escapes my lips as she starts to prance over to the bowls. It's only then that I realise that her shoes are designed to look like the birds in her hair. Crimson, sparkly feathers cover every inch. "And District 11's female tribute for the 17th Annual Hunger Games is... Christi Fields!"
My heart drops right down through my stomach. This can't be happening... It's just a nightmare, I tell myself. I'll squeeze my eyes shut, open them, and I'll be laying in bed at home. Christi will be making our dinner in the kitchen and everything will be alright. So I do.
I clamp my eyes shut as hard as I can, ignoring the salty tears brimming in my eyes. 1, 2, 3, open! My biggest fear is confirmed: this is no nightmare.
Fiercely, I begin to push my way through the crowd. Christi is calmly climbing the steps to the stage, trying to look strong, when I near the front. Her eyes meet mine. Slowly, she shakes her head. I can see terror deep in her expression. Somehow, she knows what I'm about to do, even before I know myself.
Oliver Grimm
"I volunteer!"All eyes turn towards the shrill voice.
"NO!" Christi cries from the stage. "Take me! You can't take her from me! You can't!" She ferociously fights against the peacekeepers trying to drag her off the stage but before long, they outnumber her. She's dragged off, huge tears running down her pale face.
Another group of peacekeepers escort the volunteer up to the stage. It's obvious, even before you see her face properly, that they were sisters. The long, blonde hair and pale skin gives it away immediately. She looks out, beyond the crowd when she reaches the top of the stage. Her crystal blue eyes are beaten, defeated.
"Well that was a bit of a drama, wasn't it? What name goes with such a pretty young face then sweetie?
"Samara Fields" A gasp spreads through the crowd. The Fields have been a very well known family for the past two years. Ever since their parents died due to a fight with the town mayor, the two sisters have been closer than ever. And now they've been split apart by the games...
"Well... I think we all know that name extremely well now..." Clary tries to get back on track by flashing one of her 'award winning' smiles. She obviously thinks it worked because she continues on with the reapings like nothing had ever happened. "And now, it's the boys' turn!" Her hand hovers inside the glass sphere for less than a second before plucking out a name. "And the male tribute is... Chase Wilde!"
I'm speechless as Chase begins to leave the safety of our section. I'm still speechless when he slowly begins to walk up to the stage. For no apparent reason, Clary is trying to hold herself together on stage. It's only when she says "you look like you belong in the Capitol with me, dear boy!" that I realise what is actually happening. No one will talk about Chase like that. No one.
"I volunteer!" I begin to stride up to the stage full of confidence. That's when I remember all the eyes that will be watching me right this moment. Not only the people of my district, but the entire Capitol too... I wrap my arms tightly around my body and bow my head down low. There's no point trying to take the attention off me now though, I realise. I'm going to be under camera surveillance from now until I die, whether that be in the games or out.
"Yet another volunteer! I never knew the people of District 11 were so brave!" Clary beams out. "So, what's our newest volunteer's name then?" She stares at me, her surgically altered eyes fluttering.
I try to speak loudly, to tuck all my awkwardness away. "Oliver Grimm". It doesn't work. Instead of sounding loud and confident, all I seem is quiet and shy. The Capitol won't be impressed.
"Well, I hope to see you two doing extremely well." Clary obviously doesn't have much hope... After we're made to shake hands, we're herded into two identical green velvet rooms. It's only when I collapse onto the sofa that I realise how much trouble I'm in. What's being trained by your mum with wooden weapons compared to the Careers?
"Oliver..." Chase says as he cautiously opens the heavy, wooden door. "You didn't have to do it, you know."
"No, I didn't have to do it Chase. But I did. After all, us Uniques stick together, right?"
"Uhuh, we'll always stick together, even when we're apart."
"You will look after her, right?"
"Of course I will Oliver; I'll always look after her for you."
I'm not as pleased with this as I had hoped I would be, but I would love a review to let me know what you thought of it. So, there's only the district 12 Reapings to go and then we're really onto the good stuff! I'm going to just go straight ahead a write so that it can be up as quickly as possible! I hope you enjoyed! May the odds be ever in your favour.
-Elena