District Six Reaping

Curtis Yovok, 16

Smack!

The heavy hard cover book smacks onto the wooden desk in front of me and snaps me from my trance and I feel my nerves heighten and look up to look at none other than my older sister KaylIn. Her hair tied back and a dress covering her with her hands on my desk and she leans forward.

"What was that for?" I ask and look at the book, History of the Capitol. There are all sorts of textbooks lying around here. After all my mother does need some kind of basic thing to start from to help her with my homeschooling. Kaylin sighs removing her hands from my desk and lean to the side twirling her braid. She shakes her head in disappointment.

"I thought you saw a ghost or something, get ready." She says the last part an order. Then she smirks and says in a mocking voice. "If you don't get ready soon you won't have any time with Nastia." She says. I shrug, so what I have a girlfriend?

"Yes and where is your boyfriend?" I ask her. She rolls her eyes and smiles playfully.

"Whatever just get ready. Mom's words." She adds the last part with a hand gesture of waving her finger in the air before waltzing out of the room. I get up from the desk, I am homeschooled here. There is a board and all sorts of stuff it really isn't that bad. Both my sister and I have been taught her since my parents can afford to do it since my mom is a Victor. Also whenever I or my sister goes to school we get harassed, our mom killed. They like to point that out. Nonetheless I like it much better learning here where no one can bother me except Kaylin. She is eighteen though so she really doesn't even come into this room anymore to learn anyway, she is off spending her days doing various things.

She doesn't say it but I think she wants to move out. It might sound strange because this place is in Victor's Village and basically a mansion, but she wants to be free. I don't blame her. We get harassed for being a Victor's children and we always are worrying about being reaped. Why add having to live here forever to that list of disadvantages? My mother really does worry we will be reaped. My father does too; they have always been so paranoid. I am trained even. Not career trained but I know basic things. My mom is paranoid after all so her first thought when she had kids was to prepare them. My sister has one last reaping, I have three. This year, one for when I am seventeen, and one for when I am eighteen.

Walking through the hall I go to my room picking up the nicely folded clothes that are my reaping outfit and go into the bathroom to change. When I have finished changing I glance up into the mirror. Fair skinned, murky blue eyes, an average build, messy chestnut colored hair, and a scar along my cheek. Training accident. I have hoped over the years it would fade away but I don't think it is going to.

Every year I worry about being reaped. I was just raised to think they will do that kind of thing. Every year I shove a family photo into my pants pockets. Cheesy but I don't forget to do it. I look at the photo in my hands once before putting it into my pocket. If I get reaped I want to take the photo with me, to have it as my token. Somehow I think if I ever have to go into the Arena it will help in the cold nights to have their photo with me.

Walking out of the bathroom ready to go I hear knocking on the door as I pound down the stairs. I detour from the kitchen and head to the door and smile to see Nastia and Carlyle my girlfriend and best friend. I smile at the two and they walk in without a word and stand there in their nicest get ups.

"Hey guys sorry I haven't eaten yet." I tell them.

Carylye smirks, "Good I haven't eaten either. What is your mom cooking?" He asks. I laugh.

"Nothing you get to eat." I say joking around and the three of us head to the kitchen and I pick up three apples and throw one to Carlyle and then glance to Nastia and throw her one. We eat in silence for a few minutes the only sound is that of smacking lips and chewing as we eat the green apples. When done I throw away the core and smile at the two. "Ready to go to the reaping?" I ask.

Nastia sighs, she knows all about the fact I believe I will be reaped for who my mother is. "I guess." She says.

"It is fine you don't need to worry." I tell her and intertwine my hand with hers our fingers laced together.

I can't tell her I won't be reaped though. Lying isn't my thing and we both know it is very possible for me to be reaped, it is possibly for everyone to be reaped after all. Though I would be lying if I said I think it is always picked fairly because I don't believe that. Even though my name is only in there so little times though there is still something under my skin that is making me shiver in thoughts of me being reaped.

"Dad I am leaving for the reaping!" I shout since my mother is already at the Town Center. Walking through the streets we find our way to the Town Center where things are already beginning. We get checked in and I give Nastia one last hug before we separate. Everyone feels closer on the day of the reaping after all. And during the entire Games too. I remember last year when Nastia cried as our female tribute Dawn died to the calming words of that District Seven boy whose name I can't remember.

I think she saw us there; she was thought of it before and has asked what would happen if we were both reaped. Since she is female and I am male it is very possible but I can only hope it doesn't happen because I don't know what I would do if it did happen.

The escort prances onto the stage. Thunder is her name. Everyone falls silent and we all look to her. She smiles liking the attention and then the video is played and no one really pays attention because we all know it anyway. The only that even give it a second glance are the twelve year olds who are more nervous then everyone, this being their first year.

Afterward Thunder picks a girl's name. I don't recognize it, so I don't think twice. I just think I am glad it isn't Nastia or Carlylin. Looks like my sister is safe. But when I see the girl is a twelve year old it does make me unhappy, nothing I can do about it though. Looks like this girl is like the boy from last year, just an innocent kid.

Then I hear the boy's name called. "Curtis Yovok." I look up to the stage and see the camera pointed at me with eyes all turning to me. I want to cry, I want to scream. But no I won't, I am trained. I will try my hardest. I could win this thing, I really could. And I will try.

Good thing my mom has prepared me for this, but nothing could mentally prepare me for the shocked face on my mother as she sits on the stage staring at me.

District Six

Carrie Pitchard, 12

My laughter rings throughout the Town Center. I jump to the side my body hitting the rough asphalt and I turn around and onto my back looking at my best friend Sugar in a laughing fit so strong she holds her stomach and she extends her arm towards me. I take it and she helps me up and we brush off the dirt of our knees. I can see a Peacekeeper frowning at us and we rush away from the Town Center hair wild and dresses dancing around in the wind to each of our steps.

This is my first reaping. I know I should be mopping around but in the sad case I become a tribute I want to say I spent my last day here in District Six with my best friend, my very crazy insane friend. After escaping the glares of those getting ready for the reaping in the Town Center we rest leaning against a building here in the town of District Six. I am still panting my chest moving up and down to each heavy breath.

Once we manage to catch our breath Sugar and I both run our fingers through our hands trying to undo the knots the wind made it into. My hair stringy and tangle from running I run my fingers through it until the reddish brown hair is free of knots. I smile and Sugar and I walk through the street. When we pass by different building a see a very familiar hospital. My father is the manager of it; it has allowed us to live nicely. We aren't rich but I can't complain with my living standards. I rub the two coins together in my fingers.

"My father gave me some money for the candy shop today Sugar." I tell her and her eyes lit up. We are just kids; I can't image either one of us having to fight it out in the Arena. It doesn't seem fair we have to be against monster looking eighteen year olds.

She smiles eyeing the coins in my hand. "OK lets head there before the reaping starts!" She says excitedly and she links her arm around mine tugging me through the street. We look mighty strange next to all of the gloomy faces. It isn't because we think we are invisible, it is because we want to enjoy our day off.

We walk with a sort of jittery joy all the way to the candy shop. Many Districts don't have candy stores and though Six is still poor we are well off enough to have something like this. We push the door open and walk in and I go the counter eyeing everything. Everything looks so wonderful. But I only have so much money so I just get as much taffy as I can with what my father and mother gave me. When the woman behind the counter hands it to me I see she hands me an extra piece. She smiles warmly at us.

"Good luck sweethearts." She says with a sympathetic smile and both me and Sugar smile.

"Thank you." We both cue at the same time and take the candy before rushing out and out again onto the street. I give up on standing quickly and we both sit down. With that extra piece that woman gave us we got six pieces. Three for myself and three for Sugar.

We both take our own rations and I shove the pink colored one into my mouth after removing the plastic wrapper. It nearly melts in my mouth. I don't really know what flavor it is but it is simply wonderful! My heart flutters at the taste.

"Remind me to thank your dad for giving you that money." Sugar says enjoying the blue piece she is chewing on and I nod.

That is if I am not reaped.

That sends a chill down my back, reaped? My name is in there once! It is so unlikely. Right? I almost lose my appetite thinking of being reaped, almost. I am not one to ever let food go to waste. I unwrap the second piece, this time a brown one almost like the color of my eyes. Chocolate.

By the time I am finishing my third piece many people are pacing by us and I can even hear the soft humming sound of a baby's startled cries. Poor thing. Then again it can't be reaped. I get to my feet and help Sugar up.

"We need to go get checked in!" I say worried we will be late. My and Sugar start walking until we can see the mob of people all bunched together. We push our way through to the check in table. From there we need to wait in a long line of all very sullen attitude teenagers. I don't blame them. Before I managed to put on a smile but now that the reaping and nightmare has really begun I just want this all to be over and crawl into my bed.

I see the boy in front of me leave and I know it is my turn. The man grabs my arm and pricks my finger so quickly I just barely flinch. He pressed my finger onto a paper and with that they know that I was in fact here. I wait for Sugar and when she has checked in we both push ourselves nervously through the crowd on anxious people all waiting to find out if they will be the unlucky one reaped. It really is all so terrible.

I reach the spot with Sugar for twelve year old girls just when Thunder, our escort, begins the reaping with the video. I watch it for the first time actually worrying about my safety. I have seen it all before but now it feels different.

"Okay first things first, ladies!" Thunder chimes smiling loving the spotlight. She picks out a single piece of paper. One single paper can change your world. How twisted is that? How scary is that? Just one slip paper and one unlucky person.

"Carrie Pitchard."

You can attempt to prepare yourself in this situation, to make yourself certain you won't cry. But no matter how frightening it seems when it really happens it is ten times worse. I don't even hesitate a second before I let out a sob that shakes my entire body. A mess! That is what I am.

Does it matter? I am dead meat after all.

I feel the arms of my District help me to the front of the crowd, oh how glad I am no Peacekeeper gets to lay a hand on me. I feel a girl pat me on the back reassuring and salty tears run down my wet cheeks as I walk slowly up the stage taking Thunder's hand.

A tribute? At twelve? I am going to die, I realize that. I am never coming home. This is it.