Semolina Citrus (District Nine Female, age 15)
My power's turned on,
Starting right now I'll be strong,
I'll play my fight song,
And I don't really care if nobody else believes!
'Cause I've still got a lot of fight left in me!
A plate slides under the bars of my prison cell, the metal-on-metal scratching sound waking me from my slumber. I stretch and stand, yawning.
"Well, well, if it isn't Gladius?" I say, and it comes out squeakier and more high-pitched than I expected. Must be a side effect of having just woken up.
Said Peacekeeper takes a deep breath, and I can hear him counting to ten under his breath. "Eat your food, inmate," he says sternly. "I've been ordered to stay here till you do, and I have much better things to do than stand around and wait for you to down that grub."
I shake my head, and my wavy blonde hair flies around my face. "Right. That'll happen." As I say this, I sit back on my cot, leaning back towards the wall in a small act of defiance.
Gladius counts to ten once more, sighing. "Kid, today's the Reapings. I have to catch a train to Two in an hour to see my family, and I can't do that if I'm standing here watching you do… whatever the heck you all do here!"
"That's nice," I say. "Why should I care about you wanting to see your family? I haven't seen mine in a year, you know. Why should I care?"
He growls. "Because, kid, if you get Reaped today, and you don't eat, you'll be weakened. You will have little to no chance in the Games! Eat your vittles. I have to go soon!"
The frustration in his voice is obvious- he really wants to see his family. That's really a shame- I do too, and if I don't get to see Mom and Dad and Lianna, he will miss his train.
"You know, Gladius, I want to see my sister and parents today too," I say. "How about we make a deal? You drop Lianna, Gretta and Myles Citrus by here on your way out. I won't keep you any longer, and I'll even eat… whatever that is."
He ponders my request. I cross my fingers, hoping.
"Oh, fine."
I let out a breath I didn't know I'd been holding. "Cool." Hopping off the bed with a newly found spring in my step, I make my way to the small metal plate of food.
Today's meal is a small amount of pork and a tiny salad. Hardly breakfast food, but at least it's something. I pick up the fork that was provided and spear the pork, eating it all in four bites. The salad is finished in three.
"Now, don't forget to bring Lianna and Mom and Dad!" I call after Gladius as he carries the plate away. I sink back down onto my cot.
I haven't heard anything from Lianna, Mom or Dad for a full year or so. We've all been in prison for that time, for stealing food. It's extremely unfair. We were starving, so I did what I had to do and suggested that we we go steal some bread from the nearby trading post. I was 13. So that night, we went out and got some food. That night, we feasted! We kept stealing, getting more and more reckless and risky, until we were finally caught.
Mom and Dad received a whipping- 15 lashes each- and all four of us were sentenced to two years in prison. That's where I am now.
A knock at the door sounds. "Come in," I shout.
The lock clicks, and my family walks in! Lianna is broomstick thin and Mom and Dad are bruised black and blue. I rush up to them. "Oh my gosh, Gladius wasn't kidding," I whisper.
"Yeah, he brought us here a few minutes ago. 'Five minutes,' he said." Mom replies.
"Well, I'm so glad you're here," I say, hugging each family member. We start talking, and I immediately feel at home again.
Demetrius Osborne (District Nine Male, age 15)
Heal the world
Make it a better place
For you and for me and the entire human race
There are people dying
If you care enough for the living
Make a better place for
You and for me.
Reaping Day always scares me, but never quite this much. This year, with all my slips, I have an even greater chance of being chosen than last. As well as that, it's Carina's last year and next year I won't be able to have her additional tesserae.
It'll all be me.
That's my main concern today. I hate the Games with a passion. I've never lost anyone to them- no, my dad and sister died in a different way. I just hate the fact that humanity is so cruel as to make teenagers- kids- kill each other. Why does it have to happen?
My family's among the poorest in Nine. We were poor before the accident, but now we're even poorer. My dad and older sister, who was called Becca, were killed in a street-fight when I was seven, Carina was ten, and Becca- poor thing- was only nine. I can't imagine what it'd be like to lose your life in the games at fifteen, let alone to some homeless guy on the street at nine.
Here in Nine, the poorest kids start work at eight years old. So with me being a year too young to work, and Mom figuratively paralyzed by the trauma of Dad and Becca's death, Carina was pretty much the sole provider. Since, Mom's gotten better and I've grown enough to work. We're still hungry pretty much constantly, though, even with the load of tesserae Carina and I have taken.
I roll over in my bed, swinging my legs over the side of the mattress and standing. We have a day off work for the Reapings, thankfully, so I was able to sleep in. It's got to be nearly eleven.
Carina's hums travel from the kitchen to the bedroom, and I stretch my arms over my head. Shrugging off my shorts and the tee shirt I slept in, I walk to the wardrobe. I pull on a pair of jeans and a dressy-ish shirt, then shake my head. This won't do!
I open the drawer of Dad's old clothes, looking for the suit he loved so much. When I pull the pants out and hold them to my legs, they're a bit long, but not too much. I remove the jeans and pull on the slacks. Better. The suit top goes on as well, and I stare at my reflection in the mirror. Dad would be proud; I've grown to look much like him, with my dark unkempt curls and intense blue eyes. My face has lost its roundness and is beginning to square out.
"Demetrius, come get brunch!" calls Carina from the kitchen. I step out into the hall and make my way down towards the kitchen. Carina and Mom are already seated, so I take my seat and dig into my food. It's pretty good; the tesserae bread isn't as bad as many think when you dip it in tomato sauce from the garden out back.
"So, Demetrius, how are you feeling?" Carina asks me.
"Nervous."
"Really? I wouldn't stress so badly- I'm sure there's boys in the bowl with twice the amount of slips you have. After all, look at me- 135 slips and I haven't been Reaped yet."
I scoff. "Don't tell me you're not nervous!"
"Oh, I am."
Mom breaks in. "You'll both be fine."
I believe her, too. She's usually right. This discussion happens every year, and neither of us have been chosen yet. There's got to be some truth to her words.
Carina nods. "You'll be fine, Demetrius, don't worry."
I wish she knew for sure that she was right.
Gardenia Farley, District Nine Escort
"Excited?" I ask my newest kitty, Lottie. She nuzzles me, and I take it as a yes. "I am too, Lots. I wonder who the tributes will be."
The Peacekeeper calls to me. "Ms. Farley, you have to be on stage right now. The Reapings are ready to begin."
My cats cuddle me once more, and I pat each of them on the head as I make my way through all 42 kitty bodies to the stage door. One slips through my legs and I pick it up. It's Leo, my first-ever tabby. He'll add some aesthetic to the stage; it's always so bland.
"Welcome, guys, and meet Leo!" I say, at the mike. "Let's choose a girl!"
The ladies tense up. Some of the twelve-year-olds have tears in their eyes. I pull a slip out and read it. "Ahem. Is a Rhea Harlequin here?"
A moment passes with no moment whatsoever, save the relieved sighs of the female children. A Peacekeeper taps his wrist, probably searching the archives for the girl. He taps me on the shoulder.
"The Reaped girl is dead," he whispers in my ear. "Starved."
My eyes widen. "Oh, well then! It seems that miss Harlequin is no longer with us. Let's choose another girl."
My arm snakes back through the bowl. I grasp a slip, reading the name on it. "Semolina Citrus!" Again, no movement from the chosen girl, but this time a wide circle forms around a petite girl with wavy blonde-brown hair and piercing blue eyes. When the Peacekeepers walk up to her, she shrugs them off and walks up herself, straight-faced.
She takes her spot and I call the boy's name. "Demetrius Osborne!"
Soon afterwards, a short boy with curly black hair makes his way up, tears slipping from his face. I smile at him and Leo hisses.
"District Nine, your tributes! Semolina Citrus and Demetrius Osborne!"
Semolina Citrus (District Nine Female, age 15)
My power's turned on,
Starting right now I'll be strong,
I'll play my fight song,
And I don't really care if nobody else believes!
'Cause I've still got a lot of fight left in me!
My feelings are all over the place. I know I should be crying, but I'm not! Instead, I feel strangely free and powerful. I can do whatever I want! I can die on my own terms, if I want!
I suppose my family won't be allowed to come see me, since they're still needing to serve another full year in prison. Likely, they were just escorted back to the prison.
That's why I'm pleasantly surprised when the door opens. A girl I haven't seen for years walks into the room, eyes puffy and cheeks tear-stained.
"Semolina," she chokes out.
"Faith," I breathe. "Oh my gosh!" We hug, and as we do, tears finally fall. I didn't realize how much I'd missed my friends.
She perches on the edge of a luxurious chair, and I do the same. "Can I tell you something?" I ask, knowing what her answer will be. Faith was always the best person to tell things to- she kept secrets with her life and never let them go.
"Anything," she replied.
I take a deep breath and let it out. "I'm not scared, Faith."
"How?" she asks, nearly shouts.
"I know that I'm going to die. That's inevitable, Faith. So having this opportunity, to get good food, be pampered, to die how I want if I want, it's not scary at all. I just need you to take care of my family. Lianna especially; she needs extra help."
"Time!" The Peacekeeper calls from the doorway. I hug Faith one last time, and she nods into my hair.
"I will take care of your family, Semolina."
"Thank you."
Demetrius Osborne (District Nine Male, age 15)
Heal the world
Make it a better place
For you and for me and the entire human race
There are people dying
If you care enough for the living
Make a better place for
You and for me.
Mom and Carina are first. We cry a lot; Mom hands me a watch that Dad used to own. That was surprising. I don't know why she thought to bring it if she was so confident that we wouldn't be chosen. Carina smiled tearily at me when they leave, and I try to memorize their faces. I might never see them again, after all.
After they leave, Rick, my best friend, comes into the room.
'Wow, man, this furniture's nice."
"Yeah."
We're silent for a while. Rick has always been a man of few words, like Dad. It's funny though, because Rick is the most rebellious guy I know.
After Rick leaves, this girl from class walks in. It's kind of surprising, because she's my crush and though we've gotten together once or twice, we always left each other.
"Hey, Demetrius."
"Hey, Izadora. You doing well?"
"Yup. I'd ask how you were doing, but, well…" Her sentence trails off. I nod.
She tenses up. "Demetrius, can I tell you something?"
"Of course."
"I like you, I think," she says.
"Me too. I like you too."
She leaves with a smile on her face, after hugging me.
Songs Used: Fight Song, Rachel Platten; Heal the World, Michael Jackson
Well, that's that.
Sorry I've been a while. I'm moving, so now I have to go to the library to write, so… yeah. Sorry.
Three more Reaping chapters! I am literally counting the days. OMG.
I hope I didn't screw your tribute up, Rose. I don't know if flowersnowgirl's still reading, but if you are, same for you. These two were really fun to write.
Shoutout to Caleb for PMing me and reminding me to get my butt in the chair and write. Thanks, man!
Questions:
Who do you like better, Semolina or Demetrius? Why?
Thoughts on Semolina?
Thoughts on Demetrius?
Predictions?
And a bonus question!
Do you hate me for taking so long?
See you all later!