Reapings
District Five
Dionne Pierson (18) D5F
"Sheila!" I cried as I ran over to my loving sister. She had a huge smile on her face. She always had a smile on her face when she saw me. My fifteen year old self wrapped her arms around her and looked up at the older girl.
"Don't worry," Sheila said in her beautiful voice, "I'll be with you forever."
She stroked my wavy brown hair, her touch making me feel blissful. We looked nothing alike; her eyes were grey and mine were hazel. She looked quite pretty whereas I was very ordinary looking. But the bond we shared was something beyond the sibling love that was common. No, it was almost parental.
"Do you promise?" I asked.
"Yes Dionne," she replied, "I promise. I'll be with you forever."
"Sheila!" I cried as I sat up in bed. I had actually felt her presence… I looked around at the room that was once my sister's. Her photograph hung right in front of me. Stepping gingerly in front of it, I ran my finger over it. A mix of emotions washed over me. What if it was all true? What if she really was no more? I shook my head. That couldn't happen. I would find my sister and show everyone how wrong they were. She wasn't dead. She wasn't, I knew it in my heart.
Ever since I was a young child, I never really had my parents with me. They worked in the power plants almost every day and returned late. So it was only my sister and me. We were each other's everything. She was my secret-keeper and friend and knew me better than I knew myself. When I turned sixteen she hosted a party for me at a local bar. It was a birthday surprise. I remembered how happy I was that day.
I waited and waited and waited for her to show up. But she didn't. She didn't come. At first I wasn't too worried, she could have been with Daniel or might have had to stay for work. But then it was time for the bar to close down for the day and my parents dragged me home. They said we would wait there for Sheila. I didn't want to leave.
Hours turned to days, days to weeks and weeks to months but there was no sign of my sister. My parents had given up on her, saying that she eloped with Daniel. I didn't believe them. She couldn't leave me! I'll be with you forever. She promised. She couldn't leave me.
And then they came. The Peacekeepers. Their words were horrifying, I couldn't even focus properly. They said that Sheila's body was found and it was so beaten and mutilated that they could not let us see it. I refused to believe it. She couldn't have died. Not now, not now. She was so sweet, she didn't deserve it! No, I told myself, there is something more to it.
My parents told me to get over it, that Sheila was gone. How could they think like that?! They were her parents! They weren't supposed to give up on their daughter like that!
But I couldn't give up. I wouldn't give up. I left my house and moved to my sister's apartment. My parents didn't even try to stop me. That hurt. That hurt a lot. But I'd been trying to look for Sheila ever since.
It was hard, living alone. People mocked me, said that Sheila deserved it. She didn't! And especially those men. I hated all those men. I hated all of the male population of my District. I had to steal, to sell and do things that were scorned on.
But I hadn't given up. Two years had gone by but I was still trying. It didn't mean I wasn't scared. I was, I was sacred that it might have been true, that my sister was dead.
I blinked. Sheila's warm smile was frozen in the photograph. My eyes welled up but I wiped the tears away. I looked away from the photo. I had to be strong, the Reapings were today.
I didn't know enough words to describe how much I hated the Games, the Capitol and our own miserable conditions. I had too many problems in my life to actually think much about them, but I knew that maybe if we were somewhere else things would have been different.
I looked at the wall clock. Nine?! I was so late! Aubrey would be here soon. I had to be ready before she came. I put on my sister's green dress and the green pendant she gave me in a hurry. I was tall, standing at six feet one, which was very tall for a girl. I towered over Aubrey and didn't really like it.
I smiled as I thought of her. We became friends when we were fourteen and we stayed that way. After Sheila's disappearance I pushed away all my loved ones. They didn't really love me, if they did they would have supported my cause. I tried pushing away Aubrey too but she didn't let me. "I'm not giving up on you," she said in her firm but kind tone. I couldn't not stay her friend, in all these years she was the only one I had. Only recently did I realise that we were more than friends, that I loved her. I blushed as I thought of the day when we confessed it. My smile grew wider.
When I walked out of the house I saw her approaching me, a beautiful smile on her face, her brown hair being swept across her forehead by the wind, her hazel eyes standing out.
She pulled me in a hug and then smiled at me uneasily. "We're a little late," she said, her voice traced with anxiety, "We should get going."
I laced my fingers through hers.
"No need to worry," I said in a voice as reassuring as I could manage, "It won't be us."
Then why did it feel so wrong…?
Demetrius Likorus (18) D5M
Cassander… I was sure I knew him. My parents told me that he was nothing but my imagination and I believed them but sometimes I felt that he was there. I knew that my parents had been murdered and that the mayor had adopted me. I had a brother, he was taken away and he had been crying for me. Or so I thought. My foster parents said that it was my mind playing tricks.
I was twelve when I was adopted. My life changed dramatically after that. Everyone wanted to be my friend, to know me. I had all the comforts that anyone could possibly have in a place like Five. I kept on rambling about my brother but as time went by I started doubting my own theory.
I got many fake friends though. Friends who stayed with me because of my wealth. I hated them. I hated them alright. They talked about me behind my back, about how I wasn't really the mayor's son. It was so annoying,
The thing was, I did not change my surname. I was not a Taylor, I was Likorus. I would stay that way. Got a problem? Well, it was not my problem.
I had planned to meet up with Kimi, Xavier and Dillen before the Reapings and go there together. They were my only true friends, the ones who tolerated my extreme mood swings and stuck with me forever.
"Deme," mom called out, "Get ready dear. It's the Reaping Day."
Hah, Demetrius was always ready. My brown hair was swept to the left. I was dressed in a grey T-shirt and khaki shorts. Seriously, I looked good in whatever I wore so it shouldn't be a problem. I was tall, six foot one, and I was proud of my height. I had been called handsome by many people before, and they weren't really wrong.
I raced out of the house and looked around. My friends weren't there. I frowned. Why couldn't they ever be on time? I paced the ground, my hands shoved in my pockets. My brother… Was Cassander real? Was he not real? If he really existed, what was he doing now? Did he miss me? No… my brother was only in my head.
"Hey!" Kimi called out, running towards me. She came to a stop to catch her breath.
"You're always late," I grumbled, "Where are the others?"
She folded her arms across her chest and raised her brows. "I'm exactly on time, Deme," she said, "Just check it."
"Well," I replied, "I came here early so you are late."
She glared at me. Not my fault, she was late. I wasn't too big on patience, actually I considered myself as extremely impatient. Nothing wrong with that. Things should happen on time.
I grinned at her. I was angry only a second ago but now I was laughing like an idiot. That happened a lot.
"Kimi," I said, slapping her shoulder so hard that she almost buckled under the force, "What's the plan after the Reapings?"
"Movie?" she asked. I rolled my eyes. They always wanted to go for movies. Xavier even wanted to be an actor. However, I couldn't really imagine the Capitol citizens watching his performance and not puking. He was a horrible actor.
"Well," I said impatiently, "Those two idiots aren't going to show up so let's just go to the Reapings."
She had an annoyed expression on her face as I told her to follow me. Seeing her expression I got annoyed. I didn't like this, the sudden changes of mood that I had. Sometimes I was laughing and then, the next second, I felt irritated. Sometimes I was proud of myself and sometimes I felt so depressed that I wanted to change my name to Mr. Depression. Why was I so weird?
There was a bustle in the Square when we arrived there. A daunting feeling clouded over everyone present but they were trying to act as if they didn't care. And failed miserably. It was strange how our fears were the same even though we all belonged to different classes.
My eyes travelled over to where the victors were. Only two were present at the time though we had four. Max had taken her seat whereas Sasha was standing. His honey coloured hair were dishevelled and he looked so thin and weak. His eyes, which were almost black, were too sad and puffy. Had he been crying? I scoffed. He was a murderer. Why would he care?
"Hello District Five!" Ariel said, her bubble gum-pink hair shining due to the sunlight. She looked hideous.
"I'm excited to be here with you. Today, as you all know, two lucky children will be chosen to represent your District. We shall start with the lovely girls!"
Sasha frowned at her and then walked away. I saw him move away from the Square and Ariel noticed it too. She looked so angry I thought she would forget about the Reapings.
"Dionne Pierson!" she said in a cheerful tone that seemed forced.
The camera found a girl of eighteen. She was big, as tall as I was. She seemed angry and I thought she would try to flee. However, she clenched her fists and then smiled. Her eyes were cold as she moved forward, her gaze never wandering off to look at anyone else. I had heard about this girl. She wasn't really popular and liked. That didn't mean I didn't feel bad for her.
"What a lovely girl!" Ariel exclaimed.
It seemed as if all of Dionne's energy was being spent on controlling herself and to prevent Ariel's murder. I couldn't really blame the girl. I was glad it wasn't Kimi. I heaved a sigh of relief.
But that relief didn't come to me. "Demetrius Likorus!"
What the hell?! I couldn't be Reaped! I was the mayor's son! I had never taken tesserae! It was my last year! I couldn't go and die… I didn't want to die. Why me? Why me?!
"What the _!" I swore. A boy prodded me forward and I shot him a look. I stormed onto the stage, cursing all the while. Ariel's eyes widened. I was pretty sure it wasn't supposed to be aired. I didn't care. They just ruined my life!
Before Ariel could say anything, I grabbed her mic and threw it on the floor, stomping on it fiercely. I cursed even more. Ariel was screaming at me to stop, the Peacekeepers looked bewildered and Dionne just stared at me. Max was telling me to calm down but I didn't listen.
"Shut up!"
Somebody grabbed by the scruff of my shirt. I registered it was Sasha, glaring at me furiously. When did he come back?
"Just shut up, okay?" he said in a softer tone, releasing me, "You'll be in even greater trouble if you don't."
I stared at him. Sasha checked the mic I had stomped on and found it would work. He smiled at the camera.
"Ariel," he said, "Don't mistake it for insolence. Demetrius here is actually so excited that he couldn't stop it. The Capitol knows that District Five loves it, and that our tributes are ready to give their best for them. Let's hear it for Dionne Pierson and Demetrius Likorus!"
Ariel looked annoyed for not getting to speak her lines. Sasha smiled warmly at her and then shot me a look before walking away.
"That was dramatic," Dionne said as she brought out her hand. I shook it.
"I am always dramatic."
District Five! Only one more Reaping is left. So what did you think of these tributes? I felt as if didn't write Deme very well. I hope I did but… Also, many of you have been thinking that some tributes are back-story oriented. I'm trying to portray their histories during the Reapings itself and I think you will have more of their personalities later on. Anyway, what do you think of Sasha?
122 reviews? You are the best people on the earth. Really, thank you so much! It means a lot.
May you have a great day!
