District Five Reapings

Ezri Irving

District Five, Reaping Day

"Sparks, you'll be fine. I'll be back in a few weeks, hell, you can watch me win!" Ezri, Sparks, was told by her brother.

"But I don't want you to go Tim! Can't you just stay here?" Sparks said back.

"No Sparky, but dad will be here, take care of him, okay."

"Okay Tim, come back please!" Ezri said, tears in her eyes.

Her brother stood up and shook their father's hand, "Take care of her Dad. It's going to get bad soon."

"Just promise me you'll come back son." The eldest Irving said to his heir.

"Dad, you know I can't-"

"JUST PROMISE"

"Okay Dad, I'll come back."

He didn't. He didn't last the bloodbath. Sparks relived the moment in her head, the first fight, Turner stabbing her brother in the chest, the blank look in his eyes-

Ezri awoke screaming. It had been three years to the day since her brother was reaped. Her father had never been the same since the moment Tim was stabbed. Then again, neither had she. Tim and her father had been close, almost inseparable, and the two were alike in almost all ways. Unlike Sparks, who was constantly being told she was adopted, mainly as a joke, but it still hurt.

Sparks couldn't be alone. Ever. So when she looked around the room and couldn't find her father, she got scared. She started to hear Tim's voice, telling her he'd be back. She ran outside her door all the way to Dyra's house.

She busted into the house to find only Dyra in the living room.

"Hey Sparks, what's up? You haven't pranked Usher again, have you?" Dyra spoke.

"Nope, not yet anyway. Maybe after the- the- the thing." Sparks replied.

Dyra stared into her friend's eyes, trying to get a read. When she couldn't, they just hugged.

"Woah there ladies, keep it PG. I'm a teenager, I might be having bad thoughts." That was Asher Jordan. Ezri's other best friend.

"Shut up Asher, you're just mad that I'm hugging D and you're not." Sparks told her Partner in crime.

"Oh trust me Sparks, if I was in that close proximity, hugging is the least I would do." Asher replied, smirk on his face.

"Wow Asher, I didn't think you had the balls to say anything like that. Much less to Dyra." And the love of Ezri's life walked in the door of the Matthew's residence. Uriah Jordan, Asher's older brother. The two locked eyes, and Sparks stared into the deep brown eyes of Uriah, warm like chocolate.

Just then the bell tolled, signaling the Reaping.

"DAMN" Sparks yelled, "I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO WEAR!"

"Relax babe," Dyra said, "I've got this." Dyra handed her a lavender dress that was a bit on the paler side.

The group headed to the town square, where Barry Ace was patiently waiting. The man was quite sweet in Sparks' opinion, he just chose the wrong job.

"Welcome everyone, to the 88th annual reaping! Our first and male tribute will be," Barry put his hand in the bowl, "Isaac Foster!" He yelled. A slightly muscular boy walked up the stage, almost in a daze. Sparks really felt sorry for him.

"Isaac Foster everyone!" Barry said to the crowd, "Now, onto the girl," the hand went into the bowl, "Ezri Irving!" He yelled.

Sparks forced a smile on her face. Of course this had to happen! This was unbelievable! She walked up the stage and saw Barry's apologetic stare, he didn't want to be in this situation anymore than she did.

Isaac

It didn't really hit Isaac that he was reaped until his family was shedding more tears than the Nile, at least, that's what he thought it was. The Nile was in South America right? Anyway, his family.

Isaac locked eyes with all four of his brothers. They understood, and took his two sisters, as well as his parents, away.

Next came his friends, Techa and Bryan Watts. He did the whole, "I'll make it home" speech and they were forced out by the peacekeepers. He met eyes with his partner. She had been crying. A lot.

"So uh, I guess we're in this together, huh," She said to him, snapping him out of his stare.

"Uh, yeah, I guess. We should probably go meet our mentors," Isaac said.

They entered the dining car to find Barry in an intense conversation with Journey Hertz and Dalton Cummings, the mentors.

Dalton was the first to notice them, and he elbowed Barry. "Hey, what's up guys? I'm Dalton, but you guys can call me Dalt. That's Journey, and we're your mentors. We've decided to co-mentor this year, so you guys get both of us, now, let's get started."

AN: Hey guys, I'm back. It's been a long time. School just gets busier and busier and inspiration is hard to come by. I haven't forgot about you guys. I've decided to try and put a lot of effort into this story now that I'm stuck under quarantine (stay safe and stay home guys, this virus is no joke. Wash your hands and don't touch your face). Anyways. I did some cleaning up in the other chapters grammar wise and I'm going to keep moving forward as much as possible. Reviewing helps keep me into it, so feel free to do that. Stay safe.