Hey, sorry for the wait, HERE ARE THE COUNTY 9 REAPINGS! I'm really sorry but the updates are going to be a little more rare than I have been posting as I have MAJOR exams in four weeks and I do need to revise as well as procrastinate! Thanks to The Mockingjay's Tune, goldie031, gamings-reminiscence and TeamGlimmer for these tributes!
Find a tune for: Posy, Rory and Vick Hawthorne (Gale's siblings!) quite hard I know
County 9 reapings
Lexive 'Lexi' Maritate (17)
"I am telling you that there is no WAY that you beat me!" I am still trying to convince my best friend Chanel that I won the 400m race that we have just run.
"Seriously Lexi, you expect me to believe that you won?" her hands are on her slim hips and she is looking at me with raised eyebrows, her expression twisted into a smirk. "Mark?" she turns to our friend Mark who was supposed to be the judge. "Who won?"
I knew that making Mark the judge was the worst idea. He has the biggest crush on Chanel ever and it infuriates me because that automatically means that he is going to side with her, whatever the outcome. "It was very close," he starts, "but I do think that Chanel just had the edge."
I throw my hands up in the air. "I give up on you two. I know I won and that is that."
"It's only a race Lexi, don't get yourself down." Chanel notices me slipping into my 'depressed mode' as she likes to call it. "Anyway, you won't be racing me and I won't be racing you if either of us gets reaped today. We have such a slim chance of getting reaped, don't stress about it."
But I am. If I do get reaped, then I stand little chance. I'm fast, but not as fast as Chanel, and that's about it and I suppose I'm smart. But fat chance that's going to help me in the arena. It's not as if they are going to throw logic problems into the arena for me to solve.
"I'll see you guys there, I need to go and change." I say subdued. Just thinking about the reapings has made me feel depressed.
Not that I'm surprised by this. I'm known for my depressing moods and just knowing that makes me feel terrible. Thinking of mum and dad makes me feel down. Thinking that if I get reaped and then die, I'm leaving my brother Xavier with no sister and no parents, all dead within the space of 12 months, makes me feel depressed.
Talking of Xavier, I can see him standing on the front steps of our house, his hand raised in a brotherly gesture. I run to him and envelope him in a hug; he is the only person who can help me out of my moods. He puts a comforting arm around me and leads me back into the house.
"You have ten minutes." He tells me and I understand. I have ten minutes before we have to leave for the reapings.
I head upstairs to my room where Xavier has laid something out for me. I slip on my denim jeans and a white tank top, it looked good. I slipped on my boots again before going outside. Xavier was waiting for me with something in his hand that made me stop. It was my father's leather jacket that he prized above everything.
"Take it, you can always give it back to me if…well, just make sure I do get it back."
He smiles and helps me slip it on, it fits me perfectly. We don't say anything but start to walk down to the town square. The county is now silent; everyone knows what is going to happen. Why is the sun shining on such a dismal day? I sign in and slip into the 17 year old section as Xavier goes to stand with the other adults. Chanel sees me but I solidly ignore her, I don't feel like talking to anyone. Peeta and Katniss come out and we get straight down to business.
"Lexive Maritate."
They are so not from here to call me by my full name. How am I going to survive this? How can I get through this? I can see Xavier trying to get past the Peacekeepers but he stalls as he sees me shake my head ever so slightly. He knows that it not worth fighting and stops as I then make my way up to the stage. If I can live through the mess of the rebellion, why shouldn't I be able to survive this?
Sandy Beechnut (12)
The world of water is fascinating. As I dive down, I can see corals and shoals of fish swimming about. My wavy blonde hair is out behind me as I search for clams on the bottom of the sea floor. I love county 9, I am so glad we were put in this county. I learnt how to swim when I was three and have always loved it. I can see Wave and Rocky in a good clam patch but I have to break for air. We've been at this for the past half an hour, it's completely exhausting. The two boys have broken to the surface too and Wave checks his watch.
"We better get going if we're going to be dry in time for the reapings."
We all sigh. I could happily spend another two or three hours diving for clams or other sea food in county 9. Wave is my surfer older brother, he's 16 and the coolest brother that anyone could ever have. I'm a female miniature version of him with the same wavy blonde hair and blue streaks near my temple. He slings an arm around my shoulder and we walk back to our house on the sea front, looking out over the sea. I look up at him with adoring eyes, he really is the best brother in the entire world, even Rocky can't match him and that takes quite a lot of effort. Rocky is my best friend and we do everything together.
We go into the house and leave for our bedrooms without another word; we know what we have to do. Mom and dad would have laid something out for me and sure enough, my favourite blue dress is lying on my bed. It ripples out and makes me look like a wave with sun on the horizon. I slip it on and quickly dry my hair before slipping on my headband which I wear whenever I'm not swimming. It's the same colour as my dress and has studded rhinestones that sparkle when caught in the sun. I like the colour blue and the colour, whenever I wear it, has to match my streaks in my hair. I put on my blue bangle and slip out of the room to greet Wave who is waiting for me in the dining room. He grins as soon as he sees me and holds something out to me. It's a necklace with a pendant that looks like the sea with the waves rolling in and a real bit of coral is embedded in it.
"Just in case." He smiles and I understand, it would be either of our tokens if one of us was reaped.
"When?" I smile, looking at the pendant closely.
"Yesterday at the market, apparently it was originally from District 4. I thought it might go with your outfit better than mine."
He's wearing a white shirt that has blue gems going down one side and sea blue shorts and flip flops, strikingly handsome as always. "You look great though Wave."
He grins and slings an arm around me. "Come on Sandy; let's get this over and done with."
We walk out of the door. Being a sea county, naturally the town hall is on the coastline and so we are soon there. We shouldn't really have our names in the reaping bowls; we aren't actually from the Capitol. But our father is from there and therefore that somehow makes us eligible, I don't really quite understand.
We sign in and I quickly hug Wave before heading to the 12 year old female section where I can see Chelsea, my triplet friend. I can see her checking her triplet brothers in the 12 year old male section, Ken and West. They all have the same tanned skin and freckles as numerous as the grains of sand on the beach with wavy brown hair but bright blue eyes. Only those who know them truly well would be able to tell them apart.
"Hey Chelsea." I smile and hug my friend. She returns it gladly, raising her eyebrows in no surprise at my still slightly damp hair.
"Diving again?" she asks.
I nod. "Clams this time, Rocky was with us."
"Cool, sorry I couldn't make it."
I shake my head; her parents are pushy and ridiculous so she can't come out as much she liked to. We fall silent as Katniss and Peeta come out. The first girl is a short, smaller than me, but then again I am tall for my age, towering above most of my age group. How can she be 17?
"Sandy Beechnut."
NO! I can't be reaped. I can see Chelsea just staring at me in horror and I can hear the panicked breath of Wave. I must get to Wave, he can calm me. I push my way out of the section and start to run towards the 16 year old male section. I have to get there. But of course I don't, the stupid Peacekeepers get there first.
"SANDY!" Clearly Wave is struggling to get to me, his toned muscles doing very little against the rock Peacekeepers. "THAT'S MY SISTER! LET ME THROUGH!" Finally he is successful but I am being forced away from him.
"WAVE!" I yell and struggle against my captors, but it isn't enough. He is hauled off back to the section and I have to resign myself to letting a few tears cascade down my cheeks. I can't look at anyone but Wave as I board the stage and numbly shake hands with the other tribute and Katniss and Peeta. What on earth am I supposed to do?
Liam Vega (18)
The sun is high in the sky and normally I am out on the waves already. However I am certainly not in the mood for surfing. Today is not the day for surfing. I look out of my window, the beach stretching out in front of me like a long wave stretching for miles, breaking continuously. The sun is sparkling on the waves, the white foam spraying every few metres, breaking onto the shore, creating a sound that just reached my ears. I trace the tattoo on my left shoulder. It's an anchor. A symbol of what would be my trade if I manage to make it past the reapings today. I hope I do, I don't really feel like being put into an arena with a bunch of other kids and then being forced to kill them, doesn't really sound like the future for someone like me. I swim and fish for clams, not go and kill kids younger than me, it just isn't me. There's a tattoo on my right shoulder as well, it's an old symbol from District 4, to remind me of where I was brought up. That's right; I'm a district kid, not a Capitol boy. So goodness knows why my name has been put into the reaping bowl, my family cannot live with another death this year. First my dad who was a Gamemaker, that's probably the reason my name's in the bowl and then my grandmother just before we moved to county 9. She was a past victor for District four, won it right back in the first five games, sensational woman. The first District 4 victor, ever and then she had to go and die in her sleep, just before we came back.
I hear movement behind me and I know that my friend Carter has entered the room. He's an Avox and has been with me since he was six and so was I. I'm rarely at home and while technically he is supposed to be my servant, he has never been like that to me. We're like brothers and he just lives in my house nowadays while I'm out at sea with Uncle Bastian and my brother Sean. I love the sea, it's my freedom, the thing that cannot be controlled and cannot be contained by anything, not even by the Capitol or Katniss Everdeen.
"Yes Carter?" I turn around because he won't be able to talk to me without me facing him. Over the years I've gotten great at lip reading but Carter carries a notepad with him at all times so he can show me what he wants to say.
I read the writing that he's just held up: Master Sean and Mr Sebastian said they were sorry but they won't be able to come to the reapings today and expect you at the pier, twenty minutes after the reaping. They said it was plenty of time to get to the marina.
"And what if I get reaped?" I say slightly desperately. Our family are fishermen by nature, we hate dry land.
Carter thinks and then scribbles down something before holding it up: I don't think they could make it in time. I'll visit you though.
I can't hold myself; I throw myself into his arms and rugby tackle him to the ground where he lets out this noise that is supposed to be a laugh. I help him up and he disappears. He'll be in the reaping bowl as well; at least that is what we think. They didn't say he wasn't because he's an Avox but then again, no one said he wasn't.
I change quickly into some cargo pants, a black tank top that shows off my muscles and flip flops, nice beach clothes. I head downstairs and Carter follows quickly. The town square isn't too far away and so we sign in silently, not having anything to say to one another. The girl reapings are slightly awkward, especially the second one. I know the older brother Wave, we surf together sometimes and he's pretty good for a sixteen year old. Peeta is heading over to the men's reaping bowl and I wait with bated breath.
"Liam Vega." Peeta reads out and my heart sinks.
I can't say I didn't expect it that would be lying. My father was a Gamemaker and I would bet my surf board that my name is in there more than once. Carter pats me on the back as I slip out of the 18 year old male section and go up to the stage. I am going to win this, for Carter.
Herring 'Rin' Qiu (13)
The spray from the sea is something that can often blind people. Luckily, I've lived almost my whole life on the sea so the salt barely stings my eyes as I wave to my father. The sea is fairly rough today but we are out of course. I don't remember a day in the last few weeks when we haven't been out on the sea from 6 in the morning. Some say that when you hit puberty, you're supposed to resent getting up early and want to lie in. I've sort of hit puberty and I love getting up bright and early, the sun rays beating down on my bare back as I pull up the sails and drag the boxes out of the water. Yes, I am a fisherman at 13 and yes I do love it. I love the fact that we go and cater for so many of the county and beyond, it's a responsibility that I love to bear.
Halibut, my little sister whose 11, is trying to stay out of the way and failing dismally. You can't really do much when you're quite pathetic and 11 like Halibut. She's afraid of water ever since she was washed overboard when she was 4 and hadn't learned to swim, she still hasn't. My father is driving us on our motorboat, to our spot for picking up our last batch of fish. We have three crates full of different types of fish that exist in the waters of Panem and I am always amazed by the variety. Almost every month I find another new type of fish I have never seen before and my father likes to keep a record of new ones that they find and then test them to see whether they are edible. Mostly I get to the testing with my mum who knows everything about cooking fish.
"Rin! Get ready to haul up!" my father shouts at me over the din of the engine and I nod, getting myself reading to haul the last batch up. "Halibut get down into the cabin now!"
Halibut tries to protest but one look from our father silences her and she quickly disappears into the cabin below. There are six of us in the crew on the boat including the three members of our family. Mum never comes on the boats, she hates them but I can sort of understand why. Despite her love and skills for cooking fish, she can't stand the sight of their eyeballs all over the deck and watching them flap about in the small water troughs we have for them. Of course once or twice some wash onto the deck and its Halibut's job to pick them up and to throw them back in. that used to be my job until she was deemed old enough to join the crew on her 11th birthday.
We reach the spot where we dropped the last batch and my friends Scad and Snapper who make up two of the other members of crew, tighten their grip on the ropes. We slow down a fair amount and there is a sharp tug as we throw our weight pulling the ropes back and eventually haul up the load. There is quite a good number of fish in the batch and so we head back to the land, satisfied. However as we approach shore, Scad checks his watch and gives a yelp.
"Captain Qiu! Snapper, Rin and I were supposed to be at the reapings 7 minutes ago!"
My father starts as we pull up at the dock. "Run along boys then! We'll follow shortly. Thanks for your help!"
We jump off the boat and Halibut waves to us as we sprint down to the town square. We're still wearing our fishing clothes but it's getting there that counts. We quickly sign in and slip in as the first boy's name is called out. I recognise him from the surfing club; he's one of THOSE people.
"Bet you three dollars he's a bloodbath." I whisper to Snapper and he nods. "Surfer dudes aren't nearly as half decent as they make out to be. They're practically all muscles on the legs and none on the arms. What?" I stop talking as Snapper has paled. Then I hear the ring of Peeta's voice again.
"Herring Qiu."
What? "Go Rin!" Snapper gives me a little push and I stumble out into the open space and face the stage. Peeta and Katniss are looking at me with interest. I can see the other tributes; we've got a good chance with the girls. Me? I have no idea.
Mentor POV.
This is completely ridiculous. The seating is not right for me, I've been plucked out of the seat that I have to sit in every day otherwise trust me when I say that I get very annoyed, any of my friends will be able to testify to that fact. Not that they would in front of me, at least I don't think that they would. It's hard to tell with friends like the ones I have. I wonder how I got here. Surely there must be some form of theorem that will be able to prove it; science can prove everything except the existence of God which is impossible as it is certainly not compatible with science which is compatible with everything that exists. Ergo God cannot exist. The only thing it hasn't been able to do is prove Wolowitz's stupid card trick. I know there's something in the trick that I'm missing, but that's impossible as I miss nothing.
I study the girl next to me. She looks about fourteen and she has tears running down her cheek, silent which doesn't make any sense as people cannot cry without making some form of sound. She is wearing clothes that even I wouldn't wear and Penny calls my wardrobe 'a nightmare' which I am very suspicious about as it does not frighten me and that is the whole point of a nightmare, to scare someone.
"What year did you come from?" I decide to be forward about it. Doctor Who is the only programme that has ever been able to prove time travel, maybe this is the next company to be able to do so. I know that certainly no teenagers in America that I come across are dressed with so much cloth on their body.
She regards me and sniffs. I hate people who sniff. "1935. What about you?"
I am floored. She is potentially a lot older than me. "2011."
She nods. "That's an awfully long time away." She sticks out her hand sort of awkwardly, having wiped it on her trousers; at least she has decent manners. "Madeleine."
I take it, slightly unsure as well. "Sheldon Cooper."
These are quite hard mentors to write for. Sheldon Cooper is one of the lead roles from the TV show The Big Bang Theory and Madeleine is the lead character in a book called Deep Secret by Berlie Doherty. She is a great moral character and I think will be an interesting match for Sheldon. The time the book is set in unknown so I set it back quite a bit! Please review!