What you gon' do when there's blood in the, blood in the water?
When there's blood in the water
When there's blood in the
When there's blood in the water
Vinicio Santiago Huerta
District 11, Male, 18
(1 Year and 7 Months Ago)
...
I awaken to the cries of a baby yet again. I do love kids but getting only a few hours asleep is starting to be a pain, especially when I have to wake up early anyway to work in the fields. I roll out of bed and tiptoe over to the cot to avoid waking up my girlfriend - Adelina. We have been distant lately but I think it's just the stress of the baby because I know she loves me and I truly do love her.
I scoop crying Pierro into my arms and cradle him, attempting to silence his sobs. He had been an accident but I don't give him any less love because of it, he is my child after all and I know how much having a Father would've meant to me so it's the least I can do for my baby. I take a look at the big clock that hangs over our bed and see that I have only a few minutes to get to work.
I quickly awaken Adelina and she takes Pierro into her arms without even acknowledging me, it's weird but I don't have enough time to dwell on it because a few minutes later I'm out the door and running toward the field. I think it's fair to say I live in an area of poverty, food is slim here but we make the most of what we have and all that matters to me is I'm able to provide for my family, we don't need riches to love each other.
I get to the fields slightly late and start work, making sure to be as efficient as possible to ensure I get my maximum pay check. The day is hot and the sun beats down on me, causing me to sweat and turn a shade of red but I keep working, thinking about my son and Adelina is all that keeps me going through these tough working conditions. We get a small break for water but not very much but this is what you must expect in District 11, everybody gets the minimum possible and that's just how life works here.
I was forced to leave school a couple days before Pierro was born to go into full time work, my Mother was no help due to her barely being able to provide for herself and Adelina's parents disowned her due to being pregnant at such a young age. All we had was each other but that's enough for me and I hope it's enough for her, I feel terrible knowing I caused the separation between her and her parents though and sometimes I wonder if I should've done this alone and let her live a live without stress, I put those thoughts to the back of my mind though because I need to focus on the present.
Work is over at 8 pm and I walk back home slowly, enjoying the cool air rushing against my body. By the time I make it home, I hear sobs coming from upstairs and quickly rush to our bedroom. The sobs aren't coming from Pierro though, Adelina sits on the bed with her head in her hands and tears rush from her eyes, Pierro lays in his cot fast asleep. I attempt to wrap my arms around Adelina but she throws them off of me.
"Leave me alone! Haven't you done enough?" She screams at me and I'm taken aback by her sudden cruelness. This isn't the Adelina that I knew when we first met, she's not the kind girl who helped anyone who needed it.
"Adelina, what's wrong? Let me fix it, please." I beg, tears starting to run from my eyes now too. The girl I have given so much love is now full of hatred toward me and I can't bare it. What had I done to make her this upset? She just shakes her head and continues to sob. "Please..." She takes her hands from her eyes and I see them red from crying.
|I'm going to stay with my parents." She says bluntly and I know what it means, if she's going to stay with her parents it could only mean she's done with me and Pierro. She's leaving us just like my Dad did to me when I was young. I choke on a sob as she kisses Pierro goodbye, I don't try to go after her, I just sit on the floor and hug myself. What am I going to do?
Carina Tatiana Delgado
District 11, Female, 18
(Reaping Day)
...
The pencil sketches across the paper at a rapid pace, forming a round shape.
"Let's try this again." I murmur to myself as I attempt yet another drawing of the dark red object that lays in front of me. I enjoy drawing just about anything, it gets me out of my head and makes me feel free again. Soon, the drawing starts to come together and I'm looking at a perfect apple, it's one of my better drawings and I smile to myself with pride. It takes a lot to make myself feel proud these days after everything I've been through.
I'm not the same girl I was in my younger years, my self-confidence is low and self-love close to nothing. I'm insecure. I never used to be insecure, in fact, I was the district flirt and an absolute social butterfly. I miss those days but I can never go back to them, at least, not yet. I must work on myself before I try to rebuild connections with others.
"You're up early." My brother, Spud, says from behind me. I turn to him and smile softly.
"Couldn't sleep." I sigh and turn back around to continue drawing.
"It's your last year and you have only taken out a couple tesserae, you'll be fine." Amidst all this, I had completely forgotten the reaping was today. I had actually been kept awake by the nightmares of my past. I nod anyway, I don't want him to worry about me anymore than he already does. "Springer is waiting downstairs." He says and walks out of my room, giving me privacy to change.
I pull on some baggy trousers and a long-sleeved black top, making sure to cover my skin. I'm still going through the process of loving myself and wearing revealing clothes is something I have yet had the confidence to do. Maybe some day, maybe not. As long as I'm happy and comfortable. I walk slowly down the stairs and meet my two brothers at the front door, then I slip on some shoes and we begin our walk.
"Where's Mom and Dad?" I ask.
"They're at the market, we'll meet up with them after the reaping." Springers answers and I nod. My parents have always been loving and it hurts them that three three of us are forced to work. I only go to the fields after school but Springer and Spud work there full time, I know it's not what they want to do. Springer is interested in politics and Spud loves engineering, they would both do so well in those professions and I hope they will achieve them some day - though it's unlikely. I'd love to be an artist but it seems impossible, a girl from District 11 is unlikely to do anything but work in the fields.
We arrive at the district centre and I give Spud and Springer a final hug before getting my finger pricked. Once it's done, I go to the 18-year-old female section and stand there, making sure to keep my head down so I don't see him. The boy who made me the way I am now, the boy who turned my life upside down.
My train of thought is interrupted by a woman with long, wavy, brown hair and a dark skin tone. Her hair isn't done up like your usual escort and her make up is subtle and modest. I can almost see sympathy in her eyes as she address us. Unlike any other Capitolite, I feel as if I would like this woman if I ever got to know her.
"Hello District 11, my name is Monica." She speaks into the microphone, not with any over-exaggerated enthusiasm. Very simply and soft as if she was having a conversation with any normal person. "Please welcome Crow Pullman as your mentor." There's a few claps but not too many. Crow isn't a nice person, he's arrogant and entitled and wears a sneer on his face. He won his games viciously and with no mercy. He's almost the complete contrast to Monica, wouldn't the be a pair to work with I think, feeling sorry for the two tributes who are about to be selected.
"Now, I am going to pull a slip of paper from this bowl. The name on the slip is the name of the male tribute from District 11 who will be competing in The Hunger Games." She goes right down to the bottom of the bowl and pulls a slip out as she talks. "The male tribute is Vinicio Santiago Huerta." A couple gasps come from some people around me and I hear some whispers.
"Isn't he the one with a kid?" One says.
"I wonder what they'll do with Pierro." Another murmurs.
A hispanic boy with dark hair and dark eyes makes his way to the stage. He is very tall and skinny and overall a very attractive boy. I can see his face on the screen and it's filled with shock and confusion, I would be the same if I had a kid. In fact, I would probably be worse so I respect him for being able to keep himself together.
"Now for the female tribute." Monica plucks out a slip from the very top of the female bowl and begins to read out the name. "Carina Tatiana Delgado."
It takes me a few seconds to process what's just been said. People are whispering, others just stare. My eyes sting with tears and I gasp for air, this can't be happening. Slowly, I walk my way to the stage, trembling with fear. This can't be happening.
A/N: Thank you to curiousclove for both of these tributes! I really enjoyed writing this chapter and I hope you enjoyed reading it. Only one more reaping to go until goodbyes and train rides!
Questions:
What do you think of Vinicio? Of Carina?
Who will make it further?
Are either of them likely to die in the bloodbath?
- Neb