Breaking Point Sextet V
Love: The 75th Hunger Games
Chapter Six
District Seven Reaping
A/N: Well, at this rate, the next chapter will be the District Eight Reapings… anyway, hey again and welcome back to District Seven! Thanks to Pengu54324 for the wonderful Tribute pair featured in this chapter! Also, please try to leave a review if you have a minute, they help me know what y'all like and don't, and keep me reassured that I'm not shouting into the void, so to speak.
Rowan Mildberg –18- -D7- POV
I check my suit one more time, making sure it looks good, before double-checking that my auburn-brown hair is sufficiently tamed, and try to put an air of confidence into my green eyes before I step out of my room to the living room. I try to be confident, but in reality, I'm nervous. The Reapings are always terrible, but this year, if I, the oldest, who has taken tesserae, if I, with my… not stellar odds get Reaped, one of my siblings will too. Really wish they could announce twists before tesserae are taken, might've changed my decision. Or maybe not. We do need the food after all.
"Hey, Rowan," Aster says. She's twelve, year one of eligibility… yay. Whatever happens, I can't let a little girl like her get Reaped. "How're you?"
"Good," I smile. "You?"
"I'm worried," she says. "About the Reaping."
"Oh, don't worry," I say. "It'll all be fine, just like every year, we'll all go, and we'll all come back."
She nods. "I hope you're right, Rowan."
Cedar comes out of his room with a soft smile. "Don't worry, Aster, he is. We'll all be fine."
Cedar Mildberg –15- -D7- POV
"Aw, thanks, Cedar," Aster says. "I suppose you're right."
Mom and Dad come out of their room. "That shirt brings out your eyes," Mom says. She's right, the dark blue of the shirt does go well with my blue-gray eyes. I always find it interesting that I and Rowan have the same hair color, which is close to dad's, well, pretty much, mine is more medium-brown than auburn, but different eyes, mine our mother's, and him dad's, whereas Aster has eyes that are blue-green, a mix of them, and hair that's like mom's.
"Thanks, Mom," I say. "So, are we ready to go?"
Mom nods. "I think we are, let's go everyone."
Rowan Mildberg –18- -D7- POV
"Rowan!" Cedar facepalms from my joke as we arrive at the Reaping. "Look, I'm going to go… talk to somebody else, see ya later."
I laugh. "See ya later too, little bro."
"I'm out too!" Aster says quickly before I can tell any more jokes I suppose. I chuckle. Good, if they're embarrassed, that means it worked and they're not thinking about the Reaping as much anymore.
"Hey, Rowan," Asher says, walking up to me. "How're you?" She asks.
"I'm…" eh, Asher is my best friend, if I can't tell her, I can't tell anyone, "fine, I guess… just worried about the Reaping is all, especially this year… with all the tesserae I've taken…" I trail off, but she knows what I mean.
She gives me a hug, which I return. "I know, Rowan…" she releases me, "but hey, it'll probably work out okay. There are a lot of kids in this District who aren't you, your siblings, or me, who've taken tesserae. Your odds might not be the best, but they're not the worst. And after this, well…" she pauses, considering saying something it seems, and then, I think, decides against it "you won't have to worry about going in anymore, you won't be able to be Reaped! So that'll be good, right?"
"Well, yeah," I say. "But… Cedar and Aster might still be Reaped, and I won't be able to help them. And if Cedar has to take tesserae…"
She nods. "Yeah, that's true, I'm sorry Rowan… but, well…" there it is again, something, and then it's gone, "I'm sure with you working a job, you'll be able to provide more."
"I hope so," I say. "Now what is it you're hiding from me, Asher? I've known you for years, I can tell."
"I…" she sighs. "Not here. Later, at my place, I can tell you."
Well, that's… interesting. "Okay then," I say. "Can you give me a hint, or-"
I'm cut off by Roz Grammar, the District Seven Escort. "Everyone! The Reaping is about to start!"
"Well, guess I'll talk to you later," I say.
She smiles. "Yep, see you later." She slips off into the crowd… when did she get so good at disappearing? Eh, maybe I'm just unobservant today. Anyway, I do the same, heading to my section.
"Okay, everyone! This year, only one person Reaped, but if it's you, you'll have to tell us who you love most! Now, be ready, don't be shy, I have the paper here…" she does, and she unfolds it slowly, making a dramatic moment out of it. I just want this to be done and over with already. "And it says that… the Tribute from District Seven is… Rowan Mildberg!"
Well, uh crap. Crap crap crap crap! I start walking to the stage, slowly, mechanically, trying to look confident, or at least not like a wreck. This is bad, but not that bad. It would be better, ten times better, if this were any other year. But this year, I'll have to make a choice…
After I repeat my name for Roz, I see a screen. It's flashing two names at me:
Aster Mildberg
Cedar Mildberg
I see they know I love two people in their age range equally.
"Who do you love most?"
It's an impossible choice.
But Aster is younger. Cedar has a better chance. He won't be as traumatized as she would be.
It's still an impossible choice.
"The person I love most…" I croak out, "is… Cedar Mildberg."
Cedar Mildberg –15- -D7- POV
After I leave Rowan, I look around to see if any of my few friends are nearby. Well, few is an overstatement. Few means at least three. Technically, I should say I have a couple friends, as in two exactly. But hey, it's not a bad number to have. They're good friends anyway. Asher's sweet, and Silk, albeit a few years younger, is also nice. But I don't see them – well, Asher is here, but she's talking to Rowan, who I just wanted to get away from, and if I go back now, it'll be seen as weakness, and obviously, I can't have that. Not that I really care, of course, I like his jokes, but still, I have to at least pretend to be embarrassed for a bit. Well, guess I'll get to my section early, and then I can think about writing things until the Reaping starts.
I do so, and immediately my mind begins to drift to, well, writing things. I wonder how one finds the motivation to write a book like Heat, so quickly, in around a few months. Of course, I suppose having been through a near-death experience like Athena had would do it. Especially with that being one of Sofie's dying wishes… wow, that got dark. Where was I? Oh, right, motivation. Well, presuming I don't go through a near-death experience -
"The Tribute from District Seven is…" oh, I should probably pay attention. "Rowan Mildberg!"
Uh oh, this isn't good. Not Rowan. Not my brother. No no no no. And wait a second, he's… he's going to have to pick who he loves most… which will probably either be me or Aster. Well, if it does have to be one of us, I hope it's me, not Aster.
"Who do you love most?"
He looks emotionless, but I can tell that underneath, he's fighting with himself about… the impossible choice.
"The person I love most… is… Cedar Mildberg."
Well… it wasn't what I wanted, but it was. I would have preferred he not get Reaped at all, but supposing he did, this is the best outcome. Also:
Oh my goodness I'm going to die. I'm going to die! I'm going to DIE!
Well, I just need to try to keep it together like he did. I can feel myself hyperventilating as I walk the impossibly long walk to the stage, but I eventually get it under control as I turn around to repeat my name to Roz.
"The Tributes from District Seven are Rowan Mildberg and Cedar Mildberg!"
A/N: Well, that was a fun one! We have five Reapings done now, any favorites yet? Let me know who you like and don't in a review! Also, please keep submitting your wonderful Tributes! Thanks, and see y'all next time!
Tribute List:
D1R: Open
D1L: Open
D2R: Reserved for BeeBoo15
D2L: Reserved for BeeBoo15
D3R: Open
D3L: Open
D4R: Nerys Pacifica, 18, by Son of Arryn
D4L: Halian "Hal" Maui, 17, by Son of Arryn
D5R: Daisy Brownstone, 15, by chcolate
D5L: Matilda 'Mattie' Edlington, 17, by chcolate
D6R: Seras Axis, 15, by TheWatcherofTheVoid
D6L: Remington Axis, 18, by TheWatcherofTheVoid
D7R: Rowan Mildberg, 18, by Pengu54324
D7L: Cedar Mildberg, 15, by Pengu54324
D8R: Open
D8L: Open
D9R: Open
D9L: Open
D10R: Gadge Paddet, 17, by Professor R.J Lupin1
D10L: Simon Hazel, 17 by Professor R.J Lupin1
D11R: Open
D11L: Open
D12R: Open
D12L: Open