District 9 Reapings

TRIGGER WARNINGS FOR POWER LUIS, SELF HARM INVOLVED.

Whitney Trigo (14) District 9 Female

Nothing in life mattered besides one thing. Wheat. Wheat has many uses. When people think of wheat they think of bread. Wheat is also used in lipstick, lotion, paint, toothpaste, sunscreen, gum, some medicines, and a lot more. Wheat has been eaten by humans for over 17,000 years. An acre of wheat produces enough bread to feed nearly 9,000 people for one day and weighs over a ton. District 10 also produces wheat to feed their livestock, but not nearly as much as we do in District 9. Wheat usually needs between 110 and 130 days between sowing and harvest depending on various conditions. I love wheat. My parents, James and Francesca, raised me and my sister Gretchen on the largest wheat farm in all of Panem. I sleep in a tent I made from wheat out in the field, and eat only food containing wheat. I don't just eat wheat though, I need to eat vegetables and meat, but not without wheat. I had homemade cereal for breakfast, and decorated my room with wheat, District Nine would be worthless, grain wouldn't be important enough to have a whole district. Who knows what we'd be, medicine? It was interesting that there was a district for coal and not one for medicine but who was I to care when I got wheat.

Power Luis Stores (17) District 9 Male

My life sucks.

There's more to it than that, but most of it is filler. When I was 3, my dad left. Soon my mom had Karly, and then developed cancer. The Capitol could cure it in an instant, if they cared. But they didn't, and she died. I worked hard in the fields to keep Karly alive and well. My arms were thick with muscles, and I had tattoos to cover the scars of the whip from when I wasn't working fast enough and from when I was in a low place. I was huge, towering over all the other field workers, and my muscular frame enabled me to work efficiently. I made lots of money, and we were well fed. My mom made me promise to take care of Karly. My life does suck, but I make the most of what I have. I can't give up with Karly needing me. I have backup plans, and after the field burned away in a lightning storm, I needed one. No field meant no work, which meant no money. I had a few options. I could ask my friends to help, but they could barely afford to keep themselves alive. I could take out loans, but I could never pay those back. I'd been looking for work for months. As I looked in the mirror, at my tall, strong body, I had an idea. It was very risky, and chances were that I wouldn't survive, which is why I contacted the orphanage to help look for a new home for Karly. If I succeeded, she could come live with me in my mansion. The plan was really simple. I just had to win the Hunger Games. I needed a plan. I could charm the Capitolites, flirt with the crowd and woo sponsors. I could find allies, and intimidate the others so they would leave me alone. I could play the big brother role, or maybe I would even be a career. They would take someone like me. Really, I had a few options, the question was which I would go with. After all, I did just volunteer. Karly came into the room for goodbyes, and started crying.

"What were you thinking?" she asked.

"I need to get us a better life. I can win this!" I responded.

I started to cry as well, and I hugged her.

"I can do this, I will come back."

After she left, I looked at my wrist. At the scars from when my mom died. I was 11, and a doctor diagnosed me with depression. This was accurate. I had started to cut myself, watching the red lines open up on my skin, and I felt relief that I could feel pain, it meant I was still alive. The peacekeepers took me off to the train, I was ready for this. I hoped I didn't crack under the pressure.

And that's the reapings. Let's be real, Whitney's would've gotten repetitive.