I've never heard silence quite this loud.
-Taylor Swift
The Mayor's House (The Simon Residence), June 16th, 11:00 am
Adelaide Simon (15) POV
District 11 female
I wake up the morning of the Reaping slightly groggy and disoriented. Nightmares kept me up the night before, and my subconscious didn't seem to leave anything out; from being locked in a closet with my old best friend's rotting corpse- Big thanks to Ambrose Chap of District 1 for killing him- to being tortured in the Capitol for rebellion details to being sent into the Games myself (Which wouldn't surprise me, considering everything I've done), my night was restless, to say the least. All I want is ten more minutes of sleep, but looking at the clock next to my bed, I see that I've already slept far longer than I meant to. I wanted to get up at 8:00 this morning to spend time with my family, but I must have fallen asleep as soon as I turned my alarm off.
I swing my legs off the bed, stand, and stretch. My hair hangs around the nape of my neck in a messy bun, as disheveled as I feel. I rub my eyes and walk to the bathroom attached to my room, groggily turning on the shower head on with cold water in an attempt to wake me up. I step into the shower tentatively, recoiling at my idea of using cold water. I'm woken up before my hair even gets wet, so I change it to warmer water.
When I'm done showering, I step out and brush my teeth and dry and brush my hair before going back to my room. I cross the room to my closet and pull out the soft knee-length peach dress designated for the Reaping and put it on. I step into a pair of low white heels and sit down at my vanity. I put on minimal makeup and put half of my hair in a bun at the crown of my head. Lastly, I secure a silver and green hairpin into the top of the bun. The green doesn't match the peach, but I don't care. The pin was Jasper's token in the arena and I've worn it in my hair every day since he died and the pin was returned to me.
I walk down the stairs slowly, knowing that no matter how small the height difference is, heels mixed with stairs makes a death trap if you're not careful. It seems to take forever to get down the stairs and to the downstairs hallway, but I do eventually and make my way to the large living room where my parents are watching TV and drinking coffee.
"So the zombie lives," Mom jokes. "How was your night, dear?"
"I've had better," I say, casually.
"If it's any consolation, I really don't think you'll be Reaped," Dad says. "You're my daughter, after all."
"I don't know, Dad," I say. "Two Mayor's kids were in the Games last year."
The conversation dies, but my father speaks again in an effort to not be sitting in an uncomfortable silence.
"Remember, Addy, I have a conference in District 2 tomorrow and I have to leave right after the Reaping," Dad says. "Your mother's coming with me, so you'll be on your own for dinner the next bunch of nights."
"Thanks for reminding me," I say, going into the kitchen for some food. The Reaping starts in about two hours, and even though the District Square is basically my front yard, I'd prefer to be completely ready well before it starts. I don't like feeling rushed. It's noon so I should eat lunch, but I just woke up an hour ago so I should eat breakfast. I'm conflicted on what to eat but I eventually settle on a bowl of cereal with some fruit. It's more breakfast than anything else but I want something that I can just eat quickly.
I sit down at the table and eat my food, contemplating the hours to come. I'm almost positive that I'll be Reaped, and I'm even more certain that there will be no volunteer. I feel a pang of resentment towards the Victor of the last Quarter Quell, Alicia Schripe, for putting me in the position that I'm in. She didn't directly put in a request for me to go into the Games, but she did recruit myself and several others for a rebellion that's made almost no progress in the past two years of its existence, and when the President found out about it, I left, taking a bunch of the others with me because none of us felt safe. I did some pretty sketchy things following that- most notably posing as a Hunger Games sponsor from the Capitol named Amelia- and all of this has contributed to the massive target on my back. I know that if I'm not Reaped immediately (which is unlikely), I definitely won't live to be 19 unless I win the Games. Which, again, is unlikely.
When I finish my food, I put my dishes in the sink and go to the living room to sit with my parents. I would have eaten in there, but they have a strict No Food In The Living Room policy because they're afraid of getting the furniture messed up. It's not that we couldn't afford to repair or replace it, it's just that that's a lot of work and everyone in my family is incredibly busy doing other things. My dad is the Mayor of District 11 and my mom is a foreign ambassador from District 12. People seem to think that having successful parents would make me quite popular, but I actually have a really hard time making friends. I find that most people tend to think that I'm stuck up or spoiled, so they avoid me, and those who don't avoid me use me for what I can't control. My only really close friend was Jasper Sarunski, the Mayor's kid from District 12 who I met through my mom, but the Games took him from me and I haven't made another best friend. Since his death, I just sit in my room by myself or talk to my parents when they're actually around.
Teenage angst aside, I do have a really good life, especially compared to the other people in my District. 11 is the second poorest District next to 12, and because of my parents, I get to live in luxury. All my life, I've had a roof over my head and food on the table, and I honestly couldn't be more grateful. I just wish they were around more to enjoy the life we have with me. Especially my mother. She's in 12 about as often as she's at home, so having her around for the Reaping would actually be a good thing had it not been for such a terrible occasion.
"What are you planning to do after the Reaping, Adelaide?" Mom asks.
Boarding a train? Being mentored? Making my way to the Capitol? Dying in the next two weeks? I can't say that. Mom and Dad know that I went to the Capitol during the Games last year, but they think I was just meeting Alicia and getting to see what it's like in the Capitol during Hunger Games season. I've done a pretty good job of hiding things from them, so they have no idea that the odds are stacked against me.
"Not much," I say. "Probably reading. Might paint my nails."
"Sounds fun," she says.
"Should be," I say. "Do you mind if I turn on the TV?"
"Go for it," Dad says.
I grab the remote and turn on a random channel. A purple-haired Capitolite is on the screen with a microphone being held to her face, giggling about how excited she was for the Reapings. She's asked what her favorite part of the Hunger Games process was and said the bloodbath. That's just sick. My favorite part is when six to twelve children die all at once! If she had said it like that, the Games would be ruined, but she just sees it as an entertainment form. That's why I wanted to be in the rebellion in the first place; I thought it would just be street rallies and people turning off their televisions when the Games came on, but when Alicia, Dylan, and Alana started training children in weapons in order to overthrow the Capitol and lead to government reform, I realized that that was no better than the Games themselves. Sure, it's not for entertainment purposes, but it's still children becoming murderers and possibly being killed themselves for a "greater purpose." Both options were repellant in their own way.
Looking back, though, I can see why that was their tactic. Maybe the Capitol wouldn't think that child murderers were so entertaining when they were the ones dying.
We watch the show for about a half hour, each of us taking turns sighing and shaking our heads at the thought processes of the Capitolites. Honestly, these people can find a way to justify anything. The show finishes at 1:30, giving us enough time to leave the house and be early to the Reaping, which we do. We leave the house and take the three-minute walk to the District Square where the rest of the District is either in their areas, waiting in line or approaching the Square. I pretty quickly see the siblings of the boy who was Reaped last year. The oldest one just turned 12 this year and is wrestling with the other two, trying to get them to the spectators' area. The sight breaks my heart, reminding me why I hate the Games in the first place.
A strange sentiment to have right before getting in line for them. I give them a curt nod and a wave before stepping to the back of the line.
The Levionne Residence, June 16th, 1:00 pm
Coy Levionne (12) POV
District 11 male
"I want Ralix!"
"I know, Ryland," I say, trying in vain to comb out my sister's tangled hair. How did Ralix do this every day? "Tivel, are you ready for the Reaping? We have to leave in 20 minutes or we'll be late!"
"I can't figure out my buttons!" he calls.
"Come here, then!" I shout back. I keep brushing Ryland's hair until it's relatively tame, apologizing profusely every time she flinches. I was able to do this every once in a while when my brother was still... Around. But doing it twice a day has become a struggle. I don't know how her hair gets so tangled when all she does is go to school. Since the end of the Games last year, I've stopped going to school and started working in the fields, because in the span of two weeks, both people who could work died. My older brother Ralix accidentally killed our uncle Mare the day of the Reaping last year in a fist fight- don't ask me how that happened- and he was Reaped for the Games that same day.
Since the end of the Games last year, I've stopped going to school and started working in the fields, because in the span of two weeks, both people who could work died. My older brother Ralix accidentally killed our uncle Mare the day of the Reaping last year in a fist fight- don't ask me how that happened- and he was Reaped for the Games that same day. Tivel, Ryland and I ran away, knowing that a Community Home would take us away without any legal guardian, and we found a small shack at the edge of the District where District 11 meets the woods and have stayed there ever since. Ralix managed to place eighth, being killed by the twelve-year-old girl from District 8. Everyone in the District was crushed. Whether we were close to him or not, everyone wanted the extra food rations that come with having a victor. District 11 hasn't seen a Parcel Day in my lifetime.
Once Ryland's hair is smoothed down, I do what I can to put it in a feeble ponytail then motion for Tivel to come over to where I am. The buttons on his shirt are all wrong, so I fix them just like Ralix did last year.
"Are you both ready?" I ask, looking at the clock on the wall. "We have to leave in... 15 minutes. Preferably earlier. Preferably now."
"Can I eat first?" Ryland asks, looking up at me. "I'm hungry."
"Me too," Tivel says, sheepishly.
"I was going to eat when we got back from the Reaping..." I hesitate. "But I guess we can eat on the way."
I take two apples off the shelf on the wall and cut them both up into slices, giving half to Ryland and half to Tivel. I'll survive another few hours without something to eat, but at 7 and 8, they're a lot younger than me and don't know how to be hungry. We start the walk to the Square which seems to take forever with both of them complaining that they're still hungry and that their feet hurt from walking. I refrain from telling them that the alternative is being publicly executed for missing the Reaping. Barely.
Once we finally make it to the Square, I have to explain to them again that I have to wait in line, stand in the Square and wait for the Reaping to be over to retrieve them from the section where people wait if they're not of Reaping age. While I'm trying to instruct them on what to do and how not to be kidnapped, the mayor's daughter Adelaide flounces over, her hair and dress literally blowing in the wind she's creating by walking. How does she manage to look flawless every time I see her, but I can't even get a brush through my sister's hair? She gives me an uncomfortable wave which I return, suddenly aware that everyone here knows who Ryland, Tivel and I are and are looking at us with a sense of pity and condolences. It makes me uncomfortable.
The two finally understand what they're supposed to do, so I send them over to where they're supposed to be and get in line to have my blood drawn for the first time. The line moves relatively quickly once I get in it, and before I know it, my blood is drawn and I'm told to stand with the other twelve-year-olds. Between my age and the tessera I took out, my name is only in the males' bowl four times, which is definitely not bad compared to some people. Ralix had 30 entries when he got Reaped, and his District partner had 32. Bigger families call for more tessera, thus more entries to be Reaped.
After waiting around for a bit, District 11's escort of several years, Aphrodite, steps onto the stage, taking the breath out of half of the boys that are of Reaping age. She really is as beautiful as her namesake.
"Hi there, District 11!" she trills. "As you all know, we're here today for the Reaping of the 227th annual Hunger Games! We got super close to having a winner last year, so maybe this year, we'll fulfill that dream? What do you say?"
A few people clap half-heartedly, not wanting to be rude. Despite having a rather disgusting job, Aphrodite seems pretty genuinely nice.
"What do you guys say? Ladies first?" There's no response, so she strides over to the female Reaping bowl, her dress trailing behind her. She digs around a bit before deciding on a certain slip of paper towards the middle. She carries it over to the microphone keeping the name clutched in her hand and unraveling it as soon as she gets to the middle of the stage.
"Adelaide Simon!" she calls.
The mayor's daughter? The close personal friend of last year's District 12 male? It can't be. I guess I always thought that people like that were exempt for some reason. Adelaide walks up to the stage looking calm and serene, her shoulders thrown back and her chin in the air. When she makes it to the stage from the 15-year-old section, she gives a closed mouthed, squinty-eyed smile at the cameras at the back.
"Do we have any volunteers?" Aphrodite asks. Nobody steps forward and Adelaide smiles again, this time, more sarcastically. "If there isn't a volunteer, let's move onto the boys, shall we?"
She crosses to the other side of the stage and digs around again as if trying to select the perfect name. She decides on one after a moment and I hold my breath as she walks back to the microphone.
"Coy Levionne!" she calls, cheerily. Immediately after, her face drops. "Oh dear, not Ralix's younger brother?"
I feel the wind being knocked out of me, but I make my way up to the stage as calmly as I can, more worried about Tivel and Ryland than I am for myself. I would hate to see them put in a Community Home. As I mount the stage and stand next to Adelaide, Aphrodite turns to me.
"You are Ralix's brother, correct?"
"Yes," I say. Immediately after saying it, I can't remember if I actually said it or if I was just thinking it, so I repeat myself. "Yes. I am."
"Well, that's some luck now isn't it!" she says. Her mouth is smiling but her eyes carry some pain, almost as if she feels bad for me. "Any volunteers to take the glory away from the Levionne family today?"
As with Adelaide, nobody volunteers, but I wasn't expecting anyone to, so I'm not disappointed when no one does. Adelaide and I turn to each other and give the same uncomfortable nod as before.
"Well, if there are no volunteers then I present you with District 11's tributes for the 227th Hunger Games! Happy Hunger Games, and may the odds be ever in your favor!"
"Good luck," I whisper.
"You as well," Adelaide says back.
The Justice Building, June 16th, 2:30 pm
Adelaide Simon (15) POV
District 11 female
I'm not surprised when the only people to come visit me are my parents. Actually, to be honest, I'm quite surprised. I thought they would have to leave for District 2 immediately after the Reaping, so the fact that they could stick around to have their last few minutes with me before I go to the Capitol was nice, to say the least. A diamond in the rough, so to say.
"Addie, we can't believe this happened to you," Dad says. "We're so sorry."
"It's okay," I say. "I kind of expected it, in all honesty."
"How?" Mom asks. "What do you mean?"
I hesitate. "You know how sometimes, you just know?" I ask, rhetorically. "Somehow I guess I just knew."
"That's fair enough," she says. "Do you want a token? I'm sure your father or I have something on us that you could use."
"Thanks, but no," I say. "I'm just gonna use my hair pin. Jasper used it as his token last year, so..." I trail off.
"I understand," Dad says. "Is there anything we can do?"
"Nothing I can think of," I respond, honestly. "Just stay here?"
"Of course," they say in unison.
Following that, we're all at a loss for what to say. Our family has never been especially touchy-feely, so a time when we're all supposed to be affectionate is a bit unnerving for all of us. With nothing else to do or say, we decide to stay quiet, sitting in uncomfortable silence for the remainder of their time with me. Silence goes by slowly, but right when the Peacekeeper comes to collect my parents, they decide what to say.
"We'll miss you very much, Adelaide," Mom says. "Promise me that you'll try to come back to us in one piece."
I don't want to upset her, but that's not a promise I can make or keep, so I keep my mouth shut. Luckily, my parents are removed before my silence becomes too unbearable.
The Justice Building, June 16th, 2:30 pm
Coy Levionne (12) POV
District 11 male
I'm ushered into the Justice Building and put into a room seemingly made entirely out of mahogany and velvet. I collapse on the couch but feel nothing, almost as if it's not me that this is happening to; that I'm just watching it happen to someone else. My head goes sort of fuzzy and I start to feel mildly dizzy, so I shut my eyes. I've never had an out of body experience before, but this seems similar to how people describe them. I come crashing back down to Earth again when Tivel and Ryland come bursting into the room flanking Ralix's old friend Geano.
"They found your shed," Geano says immediately. "And they're planning on taking Ryland and Tivel to a Community Home since Mare died. All four of you should have gone, but Ralix died and the rest of you hid."
"Oh my God," I hesitate. My head starts spinning again.
"No, Coy, it's okay," he says, desperately trying to make me listen. "I just turned 18 last month. Legally, I can adopt them."
"Wait, are you serious?" I ask, bewildered.
"Yes, 100%," he says. "The two of them both said they were okay with it."
"Then it's fine with me," I say.
"Where are you going, Coy?" Tivel asks.
"I'm..." I hesitate. "I'm going where Ralix is."
"Are you coming back?" Ryland asks.
"Maybe not," I admit. "But you're going to stay with Geno, okay?"
"Okay," Tivel says. "Will you tell Ralix that we miss him?"
"Definitely," I say.
Before we have time to say anything else, a Peacekeeper comes to the door and stands expectantly in the doorway. I give Tivel and Ryland each a quick hug and Ryland reaches into her dress pocket and hands me the necklace that Ralix wore into the arena last year; two swords crossing in the middle. I take it and put it on, giving her another hug. I give my thanks to Geano and then they're gone.
I'm not going to thank myself for creating Adelaide because I'm not that pretentious, so thanks to Lulubell2495 for the original idea for Adelaide in the first place. So thanks to Gunny979 for Coy.
Questions!
1) Who do you like better, Adelaide or Coy?
2) What did you like about them?
3) What didn't you like about them?
4) Any predictions?
-No one says no to Gaston!