(A/N: Welcome back, readers! The second-to-last chapter is coming your way! PREPARE YOURSELVES

~Ariana's POV~

"Oh, plants! Oh, trees!

Oh, birds! Oh, bees!

Oh how, oh how do I loooooove thee!"

My cheery voice rises to the heavens as I twirl around in my assigned acre of orchard, picking up apples where I see them and tossing them with great accuracy into my basket, which sits beside the greatest of the apple trees, at least in my acre. I love, love, love to sing! It's my favorite hobby!

"Oh, sky! Oh, clouds!

Oh, faces in crowds!

Oh how, oh how do I loooooov-"

I'm jolted and interrupted by the distinct and scary sound of a whip, cracking like lightning against someone's skin. I turn to the sound of anguished crying and see a couple of flog-wielding Peacekeepers standing over a little thirteen-year-old girl wearing a tattered off-white dress. The poor kid is on her knees, begging.

"Please, no! Don't whip me anymore! I-I was just so hungry! I'm sorry I ate the apple! Pl-"

The girl is cut off as one of the Peacekeepers delivers an ear-popping crack of the whip to the side of her face, sending her to the ground with another chilling cry of pain. The other Peacekeeper bites into her left hip with his own flogging strap, and in an agonized panic, I see the little girl try to desperately crawl away.

"No! NO!" she cries out again as one Peacekeeper drops his flog and grabs her by one of her bare feet, pulling her back and causing her to drop to her belly. I clasp my hand over my mouth as the other Peacekeeper barks for his companion to hold her down. He does so soundly by pinning the base of her right arm to the ground with one foot.

The first Peacekeeper goes to work, mercilessly whipping her back, her bottom, and the backs of her thighs. She cried and screamed hysterically, and I couldn't bear to listen to her pain anymore… I started toward her to try and convince the Peacekeepers to ease up, but a sharp whistle stops me. I turn and see a tall boy shake his head solemnly. There was nothing I could do for her…

I turn back to my large apple pail and am relieved to see that it's full. If I can't do anything to help, the only thing left is to just leave entirely. That's the primary unspoken rule here in District Eleven, unfortunately. I scoop up my pail and start to half-run across my acre, toward The Glut, where all crops are required to be deposited for sorting and separation, a whole different process of child labor.

No, Ariana, no! I can't think like this! Being sad is not going to make anything any better, so I do what I always do when I'm feeling sad: I hum Deep in the Meadow. It's a very old song that was made famous by Katniss Everdeen, The Martyred Mockingjay. She was a key feature in the Second Dark Days, but died in an apartment explosion, so I've heard.

Humming the solemn tune calms my nerves, and before I know it, I've deposited my 90% of my haul into The Glut and take the remaining 10%, 9 apples, with me back to my family's appointed shack borough. They're all the same size, and since my family is a bit on the larger side, we've been crudely split into two separate shacks. We still find ways to make it work, though, so at least there's that! My father has technical custody of me and my older sister Gabrielle, so I head over to my mother's appointed shack first, where she care for my two younger sisters, Trianna and Belinda. My eldest sister, Angela is over 21, so she's been appointed her own shack that's unfortunately in another borough… I don't see her much at all anymore.

"Momma?" I call as I open the door carefully, so I don't spook anyone.

"Ariana, are you back already? Come on in!" my mother's kind and careworn voice invites. When I enter, I immediately see that she's trying her hardest to smile. Lately, there's not been much to smile about, frankly, so I really appreciate her putting in the effort!

"How much do you have, sis?" Belinda chimes, standing up and beaming at me eagerly.

"Nine apples this time." I say proudly.

"Nine whole apples." my mother sighs happily, shaking her head and chuckles. "That's enough to feed one to all of us, isn't it?"

"Yes'm." I say politely. "A whole four more than yesterday! I'm working faster!"

"You sure are, honey." Mom said. I walk over and lean so she can give me a kiss on the cheek, then I give her, Trianna, and Belinda their apples. "Go and give the rest of your haul to *cough!* to the others…"

I fret a little. My mother's been feeling a little under the weather lately, and every time she coughs like that, it makes my heart pang… "Here, Momma. Take another apple. You need it more than the rest of us."

"Aw, thank you, deary." she told me, pulling me into a tight hug.

"No problem!" I respond, waving to that half of my family as I make the short skip over to my father's shack.

The smell of bread meets my nose and I perk up! Gabrielle makes some of the best bread in District Eleven! I rush right in and smile at the sprawl on the table. 2 sheets of twelve loaves of bread sit on our table. Gabrielle and my father turn to me with weary smiles as I enter.

"Good to see you're back, Ar-" my father starts. He is cut off by the sound of a distant *pop!* sound. He continues to pause for a few moments, and I hear it again.

*pop!*

At first I think it's the electric fence malfunctioning somewhere nearby, since it's been doing that a lot today, most likely on account of the power failures we're heard are on the rise in District Five, but the grim look on my father's face clues me in on what it really is: gunshots.

"It's good to see you back, Ariana." my father says with a little less pep than before. "Is that your load for today?"

"Yessir. Five apples in here." I say, Deep in the Meadow playing in my head to settle my nerves again.

"Five apples?" he repeats. "Have you been over to your mother's shack yet?"

His sharp hazel eyes lock onto mine, and I nod quickly.

"Yessir. I gave two to Trianna and Belinda and two to Momma."

"Good girl, good girl." he says with a nod of approval. You and Gabrielle can take two each for all the good work you've been doing. I'll eat the one."

"Thanks, Papa!" I cheer, running up with Gabrielle to hug him.

"Easy on the ol' back…" he groans. He all laugh as we pull away, but laughter never lasts long. Our happiness is cut off again by the sound of a siren that indicated that it was time for the Reapings in a few minutes. I look out of the window as Trianna runs past with Belinda by the hand.

"Better get going." Papa tells me. "We'll catch up. Go, go."

I nod and kiss Papa goodbye before grabbing two small bands from my dresser and rushing out the door, quickly throwing my snowy-blonde hair into pigtails while following Trianna and Belinda.

~Chiro's POV~

People-herding is a regular sight on the Reaping Day. I look about as I see globs of dark-skinned, dark-haired, weary-eyed parents and their bone-thin children trek glumly to the giant square in the heart of District Eleven. I must look really silly in all of these different colors: black trousers, green long-sleeved shirt, orange shirt-sleeved shirt underneath, blue socks and red shoes and cloak and all of these blankets to keep me warm, despite the heat today… But no one seems to notice, to my relief. As we're squeezed and compressed into our corrals, I can't help but notice the giant video screen atop the Justice Building. It's flickering and letting out an odd, crackling noise, as if something is broken inside of it.

"Greetings from the illustrious Capitol, District Eleven!" our butt-kissing escort Feiffer squeaked into the mike. "Welcome, one and all, to the Reaping of the 175th Hunger Games, our 7th Quarter Quell! Yay!"

She claps, and no one claps with her. I jump as a Peacekeeper near the stage fires a gunshot into the air. Slowly, the corralled tributes begin to applaud, much to Feiffer's delight.

"Excellent, excellent! Now, what is not so excellent is the fact that Districts Five and Three are undergoing technical failures right this moment. That being said, we are unable to show you our annual promo! But do not despair, children! I'm sure you'll all be delighted to see it next year, huh? Now, then! We might as well start our Reapings!"

I look around as Feiffer walks to the girls' Reaping ball. Somewhere in this despondent crowd, three of my sisters and one of my friends was in danger… I hold my breath as I hope to the heavens that the odds are in their favor…

~Ariana's POV~

"Jaclyn Coven!" Feiffer announces. I sigh in relief, comforted with the knowledge that I was safe for another year, but saddened with the knowledge that Jaclyn Coven was that girl who I saw get whipped today. Getting put through that much pain, and now this?

I watch for Jaclyn to emerge, and furl my eyebrows when she doesn't not even after a full twenty seconds.

"Jaclyn Coven?" Feiffer repeats.

"She's dead." I hear a Peacekeeper's disinterested voice call from the foot of the stage. My blood runs cold, and all the corrals collectively gasp. I also hear an anguished scream of mourning from the back, where the older citizens are required to stay.

"Dead? Oh… How unfortunate…" Feiffer sighs.

I can't brush this off… The pieces fit together way too well in my head. The Peacekeeper who spoke was one of the same ones I saw whipping Jaclyn. I saw her getting whipped in the field… T-The gunshots…

I nearly break down crying right there, but I have to hold myself together. For perhaps the first time in the history of the Hunger Games… there has to be a redraw. Feiffer plucks a second card from the ball and reads it out.

"Ariana Rulan-Evens?"

No… No. No! No! NO! How is this possible? I'm completely frozen in place, and I can hear the sobs of my family behind me, Belinda's frightened scream… It all comes crashing down around me. My world crumbles…

A Peacekeeper has to grab me my the arm and push me forward in order to get me started toward the stage. Tears start to fall from my eyes… The first tears I've cried in… weeks? Maybe months? Nevertheless, they sting my eyes and cloud my vision. This can't be happening.

Feiffer rubs my back in mock sympathy, then steps behind me over to the boys' Reaping Ball, not even bothering to call for volunteers, since there will be none. I bury my head in my hands and begin to bawl my eyes out. I know I told myself being sad was not going to make things any better… But nothing can make this moment any worse…

~Chiro's POV~

Never have I been more devastated about a Reaping here in District Eleven. Had Jaclyn not been dead… She would've been safe with her family for at least another year. I feel extremely bad for her, and can't even bear to look her in the face, not even as Feiffer reads from the boy tribute's card.

"Tason Stock-"

"NO!"

"Er…" Feiffer finishes, furling her eyebrows as my friend Jarlee's older brother Tason Stocker steps solemnly out of his place. At the same time, the girls in the 18-year-old section make way for a young lady that is visibly pregnant as she quickly runs out and wraps her arms around Tason.

"Emlia…" I hear Tason murmur.

"Tason, no! I'm not- I can't lose you! I just can't! Our baby needs you!"

"Emlia, I have no choice. P-Please let go…"

A Peacekeeper draws his gun and points it at the couple. "Keep it moving, or else!"

"NO! If you shoot him, you'll have to shoot me first! Are you really prepared to kill a pregnant woman?"

The Peacekeeper cocks his gun and begins to advance.

"STOP!" I scream over the concerned murmurs. I push past the Peacekeeper and stand before the stage. Even Ariana has lifted her head to look at the commotion with her bleary eyes.

"Tason has no choice…" I start. "But I do! I volunteer as tribute!"

I'm as light as a feather and as skinny as a toothpick, but I feel strong this moment. I begin to shiver as I start up the steps, where Feiffer is trying not to faint from all the drama. Ariana looks at me, stunned. I extend my hand and she takes mine and shakes it firmly. I look out at the crowd and Tason gives me the most grateful smile I've ever seen. Emlia is crying hysterically, mouthing 'Thank you.' I think she wants to speak, but she has no voice left.

"L-Ladies and gentlemen! I give to you your Quell Tributes for the 175th Annual Hunger Games! Bless their hearts! And may the odds be ever in their favor!" Feiffer shouts. To my surprise, the audience begins to clap. District Eleven has not genuinely clapped for the Reaping in years… A small smile crawls onto my face, and even Ariana looks less sad than before.

"Mom… Dad…" I murmur to myself, looking up to the sky. "This is for you…"

The thought sticks with me until a few minutes later, when I look up to see the door to the visiting room open. I heave a sigh as I look up at Purlia, my stepmother, as her cross visage storms in and looks down at me.

"What is the matter with you?" she yells at me. I barely react. I expected this to happen.

"I did what I had to do for my friend." I answer simply.

"What you did was absolutely selfish! Did you even think about any of us before you went and did that? Your brothers, your sisters! Me!"

I was starting to feel a little bad until she mentioned herself. Then I knew exactly where this was going. Her rant continues.

"With you gone, dying in the Hunger Games, my schedule will be in ruins! Who's going to collect the clothes from the lines? Who's going to clean up all the plates? Who's going to-"

"I don't care!" I shout suddenly in frustration. This surprises her, so I continue making my point. "I don't care about your stupid clothes or your stupid dirty plates, or your stupid… you! I don't care! I did what I did to help out a friend who needed me. All you want is to use me as your slave like you do the rest of us!"

"After all I've done for you, you ungrateful brat! I gave you a roof to live under and clothes to wear and food to eat! I cared enough to take you into my home, and this is how you repay me?"

"Don't act like you took us in out of the kindness of your heart! You only keep us around to serve you and your own children. And you give us your kids' old clothes! And you feed us the leftovers that you and your kids don't eat! You don't care about us! You're a monster!"

"Well, go, then! Go die!" she shouts in my face before storming out of the room and leaving me in silence for the rest of my time before I'm to be taken to the train station. As the Peacekeepers come to take me, I adjust scarf, the item I've chosen as my token, and stand, taking one more look around the room before I'm taken back into the halls of the Justice Building.

(A/N: Hooray! We're almost done! Only District Thirteen is left to redo, and then I can start on shaping the major story again! I promise you, there's going to be a fair amount of delicious new drama in the preceding events before the Games once I'm done updating. :D That drama may just flow over into the Games themselves! n_n

Until next time, Hungry Gamers! Bye bye!)