Chapter Five: There's A Place For Us

We can be the kings and queens

Of anything if we believe it's written in the stars that shine above

A world where you and I belong

Where faith and love will keep us strong

There's A Place For Us, Carrie Underwood

Isabella Martin, 14, District 5 Citizen

Isabella stared at some math problems her class had been assigned the day before. Usually she was good at all the assignments given to her, but this one was getting the best of her. It didn't help that she hadn't remembered this assignment until 4 am.

"Okay, Izz," Isabella murmured to herself, scribbling a half answer before throwing her

pencil down in frustration. She stared hopelessly as the pencil rolled under the bed.

"Izzy, what are you doing up? Go back to sleep for a while." Isabella turned with a gasp

to the bedroom door, where her older brother, Isaac, stood with a small grin on his face.

"Jeez, Isaac!," Isabella exclaimed, picking up her pencil and glaring at him. "What are

you doing? Do you do this to isla? No!" Isaac always did ridiculous things when he thought she was upset. Usually she liked them, but not at the moment.

"Whoa, calm down," Isaac said, chuckling as he approached, sitting down on her bed. "I heard you up and wanted to know what's going on."

Isabella sighed as she said, "Frantically doing some homework I forgot to do. You know Ms. Harrady will kill me if I don't finish all the work." In the back of her mind, she knew she was overreacting, but her reason had been drowned out by the early wake up and panic.

"Isabella, first off, no she would not. You always do all your work, one time won't bring imminent death down upon you. Second, what's the rush? You'll have all afternoon after the reaping to get it done. No class today, remember."

Isaac's words had their intended effect, and Isabella groaned as she said, "I completely forgot we don't have class. I woke up in the middle of the night for nothing!"

"That's how it works sometimes, sis," Isaac shrugged. "It's still early, maybe you can rest a bit more? I can stall with Mom and Dad for you if you want?"

Isabella smirked. "No, I'm pretty much awake. Let's go see what we can find for breakfast."

The two of them headed downstairs, where they found their mother in the kitchen, opening a cabinet and pulling out breakfast items. "Morning, you two. You're up early."

"Isabella woke up early for no reason, but we're okay," Isaac said. "Need any help, Mom?"

"No, I'm okay here," she said. "If you could go outside and check the garden for me? I think I saw some carrots that needed pulled, and there are plenty of tomatoes and cucumbers to be picked."

"Sure, Mom," Isabella grinned. They headed outside, searching through the plants for vegetables that were ripe. This was one of Isabella's favorite activities. She may have seemed like a super-nerd, but she loved the feeling of being in control of the garden.

"Any plans for before the reaping?" Isabella asked as she pulled up a carrot. They usually did something together, but she didn't want to assume anything.

"Atom and I were going to go fish for a bit before, but I should be back in time for us to do something if you wanted. Or you could come with, although I know how you are about killing animals."

"Don't!" Isabella squealed. She had become a vegetarian two years ago, after a fishing trip with Isaac and their friend Atom where the boys had caught several fish, and the smell had been so much that she couldn't stand any kind of meat anymore. "Okay, I'll see you before the reaping, then."

They grew quiet, and Isaac said, "Izzy, what's up?"

"I don't want now to be the last time I see you before the reaping? What if one of us gets picked? Or Atom? Or next year, Isla's eligible! How do we keep her safe?"

Instead of speaking, Isaac gave a warm smile. Then he said, "Isabella, breathe, okay? Do you know the odds of being reaped?"

She did, having run the calculations through in class yesterday. "Of course, they're at less than 1%, factoring in the population, tesserae, and-"

"Exactly," Isaac interrupted her. "There's very little chance that any of us will be reaped. As for Isla, we don't have to worry about her for now. We take out enough tesserae that she won't have to, so that's not a concern. If any of us are reaped, someone will volunteer. I'll volunteer, and I know you would too, if it were me or Atom, or Isla in the future."

Isabella stayed silent for a moment before she replied. "You're right, I would. I wouldn't let you go in alone, or Atom, and I know you and him won't let me go in alone, if that does happen."

"Exactly," Isaac agreed. "So don't worry, okay? Everything will turn out okay. I promise. I'm your big brother, so I can't lie to you."

Raising her eyebrows playfully, Isabella said, "Oh really? What about when you tricked me into thinking that Atom was drowning, but he was just standing on a big rock just at the sandbar at the lake?"

Isaac burst out laughing, standing up with his armful of vegetables. "It was funny, you have to admit!"

Isla stood and hefted her own pile of carrots, peas, and tomatoes, following Isaac inside. "Okay, now it is, but I was terrified then! I was eleven, and you two wise-acre teenagers thought it would be funny to trick me."

As they entered the kitchen and left their pile of vegetables for their mother to sort out, Isabella knew that her brother was right. If one of them was reaped, it would be both of them going into the arena.

And then she thought. No, I don't want Isaac and me to be in the arena together. Because if that happened, she knew that only one of them could return, very likely neither of them.

But how could she tell Isaac about her change of opinion? She couldn't, so she remained silent.

Isaac Martin, 16, District 5 Citizen

Later that afternoon, after he and his friend Atom got back from fishing and met up with Isabella at their house, Isaac was getting ready for the reaping. He gave himself a look in the mirror in his bedroom, satisfied that he was ready to go.

As he started to leave his room, he thought of his sister. Little did she know that he had much the same fears as she did. He was simply better at keeping them hidden. He worried about whether they would be picked, or Atom. He worried about Isla's eligibility next year. He meant it when he said that he would volunteer if she was reaped, and he knew that she was being sincere when she said that she would volunteer to go in with him or Atom.

Putting it out of his mind, he headed over to Isabella's room, where she was finishing braiding her red hair. "I'm ready," she said, tying the red ribbon at the end of the plait. "Let's go!"

Meeting their parents and Isla downstairs, the family joined the throng of people heading to the square, where shortly, two people would be picked to enter the Games.

Isaac despised the Games, and the Capitol who designed them. It was a clear ploy to keep the citizens of each district mistrustful of each other, and the districts themselves from uniting and forming bonds either. The Capitol knew that if they kept them separate, they could keep their power. Of course, he only said these things aloud when he was alone at the lake or in the woods with Atom and Isabella. They let him get on with it, knowing that it was better to get it out than to keep it in, where it could come out in the town where Peacekeepers would overhear him.

After a short walk, and waiting in line for quite a while, they finally made it through the queue in the streets and into the groups of kids that filled the square. Isla stayed with their parents, while Isabella and Isaac each sought out their age groups in the faces of their neighbors and classmates.

Finding Atom in the sixteens, Isaac said, "Hey, man. You ready for this?"

Atom raised an eyebrow. "Nope. But that doesn't matter. I'm ready enough, I guess."

At that moment, the District 5 escort, Genia Afaire, stepped forward. The woman was one of the most well known escorts in the Districts, probably because she was quite large. Her orange business suit made her look like a peach, and her green dyed hair only added to the image.

First going through the spiel from the Capitol about why they had the Games every year, and having the Treaty of the Treason read by their mayor, Isaac gave a bored glance at Atom, who reciprocated with a grin. They could probably quote the ceremony word for word, except for the people who got reaped each year.

"Oh, District 5!" Genia finally called in her surprisingly deep voice. "Let's find out who our tributes will be! Ladies first!"

Genia walked over to the sphere that everyone knew held the girls names that were eligible. Isabella had eighteen entries, while Isaac had thirty. Their odds were low, but not impossible as he'd made it seem earlier.

After picking a name from the bowl, Genia walked back to the microphone and said, "District 5, the lovely young lady representing you this year is… Miss Isabella Martin!"

Isaac searched through the crowds, but he didn't know where Isabella had been waiting. It became obvious, however, when the crowds parted around one area, and Isaac caught sight of Isabella walking through the crowds and up to the stage. He was proud that she appeared calm as she walked up, as he knew that crying and whining would only make her a target as an easy kill.

"Isaac," he heard Atom mutter beside him. "Don't, I'll do it. I'll volunteer and go in with her."

Isaac wasn't listening, however, He knew that, logically, this made sense. It would be much less catastrophic for their families if they died, because they would still have their other children. At the moment, however, Isaac couldn't make himself listen to reason.

Filling with worry and anger for his sister, Isaac could hardly keep himself contained as Genia introduced Isabella and said how glad she was to have her as a tribute. Finally, she headed for the boys names, and Isaac waited for his chance.

When Genia called the intended boy's name, "Kirkland Holmes," the words had barely been called before Isaac exclaimed, "I volunteer!"

He knew there was no going back as he headed up to the stage. He saw Isabella,tears streaming down her face now as she screamed, "Isaac, no! No, please!"

And then he was on the stage, taking his place beside her. He gripped her hand, letting her know she wasn't alone. He gave her a faint smile, and she returned it, although there was something troubled in her eyes.

"Isaac, only one of us can come back," she whispered, only audible to him.

And he understood. How could he have been so stupid. His parents would never forgive him for going in, especially if they both died. And Isaac realized he wouldn't forgive himself if he let Isabella die. In that way, at least, he felt certain. He could at least keep her safe for as long as possible.

Welcome back! Sorry, I had a bout of flu, but i'm back now with District 5 reapings! These two are the first of three groups of siblings, and I thought it was pretty funny that I got so many! Luck of the draw I guess? They were submitted by the lovely ReadBooksWriteThings, and I liked writing the dynamic they have, being a couple of years apart but so close.

Here are a few questions for reviewers to answer!

Who do you like better, Isabella or Isaac?

Do you think your characters would ally with them?

Can Isabella get past her resentment of her brother volunteering, even though she didn't have the courage to tell him she changed her mind?

Can Isaac keep them both safe, and what do you think he might do if it ends up just the two of them?

And that's that! Another pair of siblings in District Six, which will hopefully come on Thursday. If not, it will be next Tuesday as long as everything goes well.