Reapings

District Nine

Roland Stewart's POV

"Mummy!" I called out as I ran into the kitchen. My mother wasn't there. I was confused. Where was she?

"Mummy! Mummy! Where are you?!" I called out.

Suddenly I felt a movement behind me.

"Boom!" my mother exclaimed as she grabbed my shoulders and turned me around, scaring me. My expression must have been amusing because she laughed.

"So Roland? What do you think? Only you can surprise me like that?" she asked teasingly.

I grinned. The previous night, I had jumped in front of her like when all there was around was darkness. She had bumped into me and was really scared. My laughter had given me away. Well, she avenged herself.

I threw my arms around her and looked at her lovingly. She smiled her beautiful smile and ruffled my hair.

"Why were you calling me?" she asked.

"I- I wanted to tell you-" I paused.

"Yes?"

"Tell you that-" Another pause.

"Speak up kiddo!"

"That I am really hungry."

Mummy's shoulders slumped at that and she rolled her eyes.

"What was that? I thought you had something important to tell me. Sit down, I have made pancakes for you," she said. She ruffled my hair and went to get the breakfast. I sat down on the chair and smiled.

It was the Reaping Day but I wasn't worried. I had taken tesserae once or twice but it was a big place. There were thousands of chits and my name being chosen was quite unlikely. Or so I hoped.

I had never paid much attention to the Games. Why would I? I wasn't going to be Reaped. I never pondered much on them or the Capitol. People around me talked about injustices of the Capitol. Maybe they were right. But talking wasn't going to help. And anyway, I was too busy in my own world to let these negative thoughts disturb me.

I was quite an ordinary boy. No dramatic past, no stressful situations. I was very childish, and that was what I loved about myself. Everyone matured too fast in Panem. Childhood was fun though. I could make all the weird jokes and no one would look at me as if I was weird. I could rant, cry, yell, whatever, and it was all okay if you were a child. If an adult would do the same things, it would seem odd.

When my mummy brought in the plate, the contents had vanished in less than five seconds. She looked at me in awe, as if I was everything in the world to her. She got me another plate, which also disappeared as quickly as the one before. Mummy chuckled.

"Oh sweety, you're so cute!" she said, patting my cheek. I closed my eyes at that and smiled sheepishly at her. She laughed again.

"Guess you are really hungry," she said.

As I saw her leave, I let my thoughts wander to my chances of being reaped. Nothing too great. I smiled to myself, relaxed. After finishing the third helping of my breakfast, I decided I had bothered mummy a lot. So, I told her that I was going to get ready and left for my room.

I wasn't the best looking fellow around. In fact, I looked really childish, way younger than my fifteen years of age. I had short brown hair, eyes of the same colour and a dash of freckles on my nose. I had a small frame, about five feet four, and I was very thin, lacking all the muscles. I had a really childlike face and mummy and papa often told me that I looked really sweet, like an angel.

My hair were so short I did not even bother combing them. I put on a blue shirt and khakis and then wiggled my eyebrows at my reflection. I laughed. I looked so funny!

I was done in a few minutes so I raced out and went into the living room, where my father was sitting, reading something. He tried so hard to keep himself together for the family, to never let the worry show but I could always see it on his face. His worries were quite evident. I sighed. One of the reasons for his anxiety was me. He thought I was too immature and he was right. But I didn't want to grow up. It wasn't fun.

I put a smile on my face and snuck up on him from behind. I pressed my hands against his eyes and then, in as manly a tone I could muster, I said, "Tell me. Who am I?"

"Uh," he said, "Hemlock? Is that you?"

I withdrew my hands in mock anger and said, "Papa! It's me! You can't even recognize your own son?!"

He looked at me in an apologetic way.

"I beg your pardon, your Majesty," he said, "But I would say that the reason was your own excellent way of changing voices."

I did something between a giggle and a chuckle and then wrapped my arms around him. He returned the embrace and told me I was looking good.

"I always look good," I replied.

He smiled at that and stroked my cheek. I returned his smile and told him that I was going to meet Jeremy and Hemlock before the Reapings. Before he could say anything I ran out, yelling "Love you!" over my shoulder.

Jeremy and Hemlock were my best friends, both my age. Jeremy was quite matured but Hemlock was just like me: childish, fun loving, sweet. I didn't know whether I was sweet or not but everyone always told me so that must be the case.

The two were waiting for me at the corner near the grocer's place. I was panting by the time I reached there. When I had caught my breath, Hemlock gave me a high-five and Jeremy just smiled at me. We were the same age but I always felt that he was my elder brother. I liked their company a lot and they were really good people.

"Hey Roland!" Hemlock said, "What's the plan for later?"

"Homework!" I answered with a sigh.

"After that?" he prodded.

"Lunch."

"Then?"

"Study."

"Then?"

"Dinner."

"And then?"

"Then. Then…uh… yeah! Sleep!" I replied.

Hemlock had a defeated look on his face and I beamed at him. His expression was priceless.

Jeremy, who had been silent all this while, said, "That's a good plan. Anyway, we have to go for the Reapings now."

I tried to keep my expression aloof but I was scared. Fear had grabbed me by the throat. I started walking towards the Square, all the while praying that it wasn't any of us.

Jessika "Jessi" Bowers' POV

"I'd be blarsted if I were like you!" I yelled.

Stan glared at me. He was tall and seemed to tower over me. I held my ground. No way was that good-for-nothing brother of mine going to intimidate me.

"And you wonder why no one likes you!" he said in an exasperated tone.

I gasped, my eyes wide, unable to believe it.

"What the bloody hell are you blabbering about, you shank?!" I cried.

"Language!" he chided.

My eyes widened even more, my breathing became ragged. How dare he spoke to me like that?!

"Language my foot! If you care so much about it then you can go -"

He looked at me so furiously that I thought I would burn down under his gaze. He had no right to scold me for using slangs. He did that all the time himself around his friends.

"Alright that's enough!" Max said, stepping in. He grabbed my shoulder and turned me around so that I was facing him.

"That's no way to talk to your elder brother," he said sternly, his gaze bearing me down. I opened my mouth to say something but he clasped his hand against it. Shaking his head in warning, he withdrew his hand and told me to get ready for the Reapings.

I huffed angrily then stormed off to my room, slamming the door shut behind me. Every wrong thing that happened was my fault. Stan and Max never made any mistake. I was crying by the time I entered the bathroom. Nobody understood me. Nobody except Brioni, not even my own family members. My mom had died when I was young. I missed her so much. Tears were cascading down my face and I was weeping.

I was the only girl in the family, and the youngest child. It was really hard. My brothers were never the friends I needed; all we did was argue. They felt they were superior and I felt s too. Why else would they have so many friends and I had only one? Why else would dad shower all his affections on them but never had time for me? Why! What could be the reason that everyone liked them and believed everything they said? I knew I was loud, I yelled a lot. I had to. It was not something I took pleasure in but it was the only way to ensure that I got my part of the love and attention. I couldn't handle being neglected and lonely anymore. I needed company, friends, family.

I wiped my tears and washed my face well. I glanced at the shiny new mirror. I had large blue eyes, which were slightly puffy from crying, and strawberry blond hair that fell down my back in curls. I had a small but slim frame. I wasn't bad looking, or maybe I was. Could it be the reason my brothers treated me this way?

I tied my hair with a purple ribbon and put on a frilly dress of the same hue. I twirled. Giggling I put on my heels and proceeded to do a bit of makeup. Okay, I was a girly girl, I admit it. But what would a girl be like if she were not like a girl?

I went down to see Max and Stan having a conversation in low tones. I stopped and hid before they could see me. Was there a secret? I almost giggled. If there was a secret, I had to know it!

I moved in a bit closer, trying to make out what they were saying.

"Jessi is an annoying little git," Stan said.

Max smirked and then in a very girly tone he said, "Oh Stan! How dare you say that? You blinded, good-for-nothing boy!" And then he faked weeping. The boys laughed at that.

I could feel the tears brimming up in my eyes again, making my vision blurry. Didn't they love me even a bit? What kind of brothers were they?!

Crying aloud, I ran past them.

"Wait! Jessi! I didn't mean it!" Max said but I didn't stop and ran out of the house.

I had no liking for being outdoors, I liked staying in my room. Outdoors meant getting dirty or maybe even wet, with a lot of energy wasted in work or even walking. But now, anything was better than that - house.

I went over to Brioni's house. She was just stepping out of it when I threw my arms around her, sobbing into her shoulders.

"Hey hey! It's alright," she said in her soothing voice, stroking my head. I looked up at her. Crying had made my throat raw and it was getting difficult to get the words out. Eventually I told her everything though. She hugged me tightly and let me cry and yell till I could do neither of it anymore, then smiled at me.

"They are fools!" she said, "Don't know a gem when they see it."

I smiled at that.

"Yep! Those damned shanks wouldn't know if there was a diamond right in front of their sorry excuses for eyes!"

We had a chat for a while and then Brioni reminded me that we had to reach the Square very soon. I pouted. Why, oh why?!

The Square was quite nearby and we strolled at a leisurely pace, talking about random stuff. We had arrived just in time. Salvia had just got on the stage. She introduced the mayor, an old man of seventy, who gave a speech so long I almost dropped down asleep.

Salvia didn't waste time. In a comparatively less ridiculous accent, she announced the boy's name.

"Roland Stewart!"

There was a lot of shuffling and disturbance in the fifteen year old boy's group. The camera found the Reaped boy. He had burst into tears and was trembling violently. He looked up and saw that the screens were showing his face so he quickly tried to compose himself… and failed miserably. I felt very bad seeing him as he walked to the stage, taking shaky steps.

"Calm down, calm down," Salvia said, "Do you want to say something, young man?"

Roland shook his head and turned his gaze down to the floor. Salvia patted his shoulder and smiled encouragingly at him then proceeded to choose the girl.

"Jessika Bowers!"

What! No! What the bloody hell was this scoundrel saying?!

"Jessika Bowers, please come here on the stage!"

This couldn't be happening! I was thirteen. Thirteen! I hadn't taken any tesserae! This was all so unfair! I stood rooted to the spot, tears streaming down my face. Then someone prodded me and I started walking ahead with heavy steps. I felt really dizzy. How could this happen…?

Moving in a mechanical way, I reached the stage. Salvia asked me whether I wanted to address the crowd. I took the mic from her and said, "Hopefully, you are all going to - see me again!"

Salvia smiled at me but I knew I had just told a lie. No way was I returning alive. I was so weak, no one would be my ally… I was done for. There was no escape.

"So District Nine, here are your tributes! Jessika Bowers and Roland Stewart!"

There was a mild applause at that and it really put me on edge. Most probably we wouldn't even return and these people were applauding?! I opened my mouth to yell something but then I saw Roland looking at me, his expression betraying how defeated he felt. How he had already surrendered.

We shook hands. I smiled at him reassuringly but that only made him more uncomfortable. His lips were quivering a bit too much and he was on the verge of tears. I wanted to say something comforting to him but then we were taken away to the Justice Building.

All the while only one thought stayed with me. Would any of us return here alive?

Done. Done! DONE! The Reapings are over! Yesssss!

Thank you WizardDemigodGladerGatekeeper and Seahorse8 for these amazing tributes! It was amazing to write about them.

And, oh God, hundred and four reviews! Really! Wow, thank you all of you lovely, wonderful, amazing, fabulous people! I never thought so many people would read it, and that's the maximum number of reviews I have got. Ever. So THANK YOU!

Now, that we are done with the Reapings, I will put up a poll by tomorrow. The only thing I have to say is to read the question carefully. I won't ask you for your favourite tribute. And please, please don't vote for your own characters. I know, it is very tempting. But please don't. That's the only request I have.

Thank you once again and may you have a very lovely day!