Chapter 5- Silver Bellcreek
The heat of the loft wakes me before anything else does; it's the hottest July I can remember. Beside me, Shine lies asleep; her hair braided and lying across her pillow, the covers half off so I can see the white of her nightgown. It's only when she's sleeping that I can really get a good look at my sister. She's younger when she's asleep; she could pass for ten right now. I wonder how old I look when I'm asleep.
I push the quilts off and dangle my leg off the side of the bed. It's July 4! It's Reaping Day, and honestly, I'm excited. I don't think many other people are, even those who support the Capitol, but I am. I'd like to see the Capitol, see how badly it was damaged compared to District 1. I heard that the rebels cut off the food lines and starved the Capitol during the uprising, isn't that terrible? I hope the Capitol has food now, like we do.
Somebody stirs downstairs; it's probably Mum. She gets up early to make breakfast and do some of the chores, but since it's Reaping Day she's up earlier than usual. Father's up before her most days, since he's a goldsmith by trade and the business he works at is on the opposite side of the district. The trip there takes long enough, besides factoring in all the construction that's going on. We're getting lucky here in 1 with our buildings getting restored better and faster than in other districts. That's what I've heard the Peacekeepers saying, anyway.
Well, there's no point lying in bed when there's an exciting day to be had! I roll out of bed onto the hard wood floor, and take off through the curtain and down the stairs.
"Silver! You startled me!" Mum says, laughing. "Good morning, sweetheart. Are you ready for today?"
"More than ready!" I say, swinging off the bannister. "Did you get our dresses done in time?" Mum's bleary eyes tell me she has, but I can't help asking anyway.
"I did," she says. "They're in my room, so you'll have to wait until your father is up to get them."
"How'd you manage to get fabric for dresses anyway?" I ask, plunking myself down at the round kitchen table. The smell of tea and baking fills the air, giving the room a happy aura.
Mum checks the oven, then says, "I was down in the Key looking if I could get sugar any cheaper there, and I found two dresses for almost nothing. I just took them in and hemmed them up a little, and I think they should fit you and Shine perfectly." She smiles at me. "I want you two to look beautiful today. You're making history after all!"
I grin back at her, then tap my fingers on the table nervously. "What would you say if Shine or I were chosen today?"
Mum thinks it over, not saying anything for a moment. "I'd miss you very much, and I'd be worried about you of course, but I know you two can take care of yourselves."
"And if I chose to go?" I ask, daring to voice the thought I've been having since the Games were announced.
"If you don't have to participate, I'd rather you didn't," Mum says, coming around behind my chair and wrapping her arms around me tight. "Not unless you have a very good reason to go, I don't think you should. You're too young still. Let's see how this year plays out and how it all works, and maybe you can think about it when you're eighteen."
"Alright," I say. Maybe sixteen is a little young to go.
"Besides, I don't see why you'd want to compete, fighting against a bunch of little rebel mongrels," Mum says, letting me go and walking over to the window to open the curtains. "I hate the idea of you killing a child, even if it is a rebel."
"If I went this year, then I'd go down in history, Mum," I say. "Victor of the First Hunger Games? I'd be famous!"
"And how far will fame get you, Silver?" Mum asks, raising an eyebrow. "Better to live a good and honest life that's quiet, than to get famous for murdering other people."
"I thought you thought the Games were a good idea," I say.
"They are, for keeping the rebels in line. Not for my daughter."
Father comes out of the bedroom that's just off of the kitchen, yawning. "Good morning," he says, his voice still thick with sleep. I stifle a giggle at the sight of his hair, standing upright on his head. His beard isn't any better.
"Morning!" I sing out. "It's Reaping Day!"
"So it is," Father says pleasantly, but he doesn't sound too pleased about it. I'm nervous and excited and so many other things all rolled into one.
"Shine! Glint! Time to get up!" Mum shouts up the stairs.
"You'll have to shake Glint awake; he's a heavy sleeper," I say, pouring hot water from the tea kettle into a cup. Tea is still ridiculously hard to find, and I guess it will be for a while, but Mum found some in the Key the other day. The Key is a little like District 1's upper-class black market; I don't know where the rest of the people go. That's where Mum got the dresses, sugar, this tea, and a whole lot of other things. It's been a real lifesaver throughout the uprising and after.
It turns out that Mum doesn't need to shake Glint awake; he and Shine come down on their own, yawning and blinking sleep away. "About time," I say, blowing on the hot cup.
"It's still early," Shine says, brushing back a piece of hair that's come loose from her blonde braid. Then she grins. "Ready for today?"
"You bet I am!" I say, grinning back. "I can hardly wait to see who gets picked to represent District 1."
"Remember girls, it's not a game; real people are going to die," Mum says, pouring a cup of tea for both her and Father.
"Mum, it's the Hunger Games. Of course it's a game!" I say.
"I have supported the Capitol throughout my life, and I will continue to do so, but it does not mean I support children being sent to death. I hope it's a one year thing, where all the rebels are reminded that the Capitol is stronger than them, and then it can end."
"I'm not a fan of it myself," Father says, sipping the cup Mum hands him and grimacing. "Or of this tea. Rather weak isn't it, Meg?"
"That's all the Key has," Mum says. "Unless you'd like to find some more somewhere else, that's what we're stuck with."
"Whoever grows the tea better get their act together soon; I doubt the Capitol will tolerate weak tea for long," Father says, taking another sip and making a face.
"I'm sure tea is their top priority," I say.
"Don't be cheeky, Silver," Father says.
"Shine, Mum's got those dresses ready for us," I say, changing the subject. "The ones she got from the Key?"
"Can we see?" Shine asks, her eyes lighting up. It's been so long since we've had new dresses; today is a proper occasion! Glint ignores us, choosing to turn his full attention to a piece of toast instead. He's never been one to get excited for clothes.
"Shine, if you go into the bedroom, you'll see them folded on the dresser," Mum says. Shine takes off immediately, her long nightgown tripping her as she goes. It used to be mine, but I outgrew it, somehow. I'm still so small, but at least I'm bigger than Shine, who's barely taller than Glint. And he's three years younger!
"Got them!" Shine calls and comes back out of our parents' bedroom carrying the two dresses. "I think this one's yours; it's bigger," she says, handing off one to me.
"Oh, Mum, it's beautiful!" I say, holding the dress up in front of me. It's a dark plum color, with a lighter purple sash around it, and it's so, so soft. "Thank you!"
"You two will look beautiful today," Mum says, beaming at us. "Finish your breakfasts and then you can go put them on and do your chores."
I can hardly wait, but I do what she tells me to do and sit back down, the dress over one knee. I will be the most beautiful girl in District 1- no! In all of Panem!
The clock ticks closer to eleven, which is when we all leave. Our chores are done, the beds are made, and we're all dressed. I turn this way and that in the long mirror that hangs in the hallway. "Isn't it just beautiful, Shine?" I say.
Shine's dress is dark green, which sets off her hair quite nicely. We're both wearing our hair curly and loose today; it's nice to match sometimes, don't you think? Glint comes downstairs, his hair brushed to the side and dressed over formally for a boy who's not even in the reaping this year.
"You two look ridiculous," he says, leaning over the bannister.
"Well, we don't have a part in our hair the size of a river," Shine says, and we both laugh. Glint glares at us before stomping the rest of the way down the stairs.
"Shine, Silver! Are you ready to go?" Mum calls, coming out from the bedroom.
"More than," I say, taking one last turn in the mirror before pulling my black shoes on at the door.
Once our shoes are all on, Father lines the three of us up, and smiles. "Here're my beautiful children. Let's go show everyone how proud we are to support the Capitol, shall we?" The three of us nod; Father rubs the top of Glint's head, mussing his hair up. Frankly, it looks better mussed than it did parted. "Time to head out," Father says cheerfully, opening the door wide and shooing Glint through.
Father, Shine and Glint go out the door, but Mum holds me back. "Wait a moment, Silver. I want to talk to you."
"Am I in trouble?"
"No, nothing like that." Mum takes my face in her hands and looks at me long and hard. "I don't know what's going to happen today, and if you do get chosen, I want you to know that I love you so, so much. I'm so proud of you, Silver, and of what a wonderful young woman you've become."
I smile a little shyly. I'm not used to getting praise like this. "Thanks."
"Now, if you do get chosen to go to the Capitol, I'd like you to wear this," she says, pulling a chain out of her pocket. When she holds it up in front of me, I see a tiny diamond hanging from the golden chain. "It was your grandmother's, my mother's. She gave it to me when I was married, but I want you to have it for today."
Carefully, gently, Mum fastens the chain around my neck. The tiny diamond rests just below my collarbone; the whole necklace is so light I can hardly feel it. "Thank you!" I say, throwing my arms around Mum. She hugs me back for a moment, then pulls back, smiling.
"Let's go catch up with the others; I'm sure they're wondering where we've gone." My mother takes my hand in hers, even though I'm sixteen years old, and we go out the door, to where the rest of my family waits in the street. Shine's eyes immediately narrow in on my sparkling necklace, but she doesn't say anything.
My feelings bubble up inside of me, like I'm full of happiness from top to bottom. And how can I not be? Today is the most exciting day of my life so far, plus the sun is shining and I have a new dress and a new necklace to show off. I'm the luckiest girl in District 1, I think.
The people around me are a bit more subdued than my family is, with a few exceptions. You can really tell who supported who in the war; the Capitol supporters smile and look a bit brighter than the rebel sympathizers, who watch the ground with downcast faces as they walk.
"Can we race to the square?" Shine asks.
"No, stay with us," Father says. "We don't know the procedure and we don't want to break the rules." Glint stays back with our parents, holding Father's hand, while Shine and I walk ahead of them. Glint can be such a baby sometimes, walking with that pouting lip of his. Today's not all about him, but too bad! He'll get to participate in two years.
I gasp when Shine and I enter the square; everything's changed so much for today! Banners with the Capitol seal on them hang off of the bank building; a stage has been constructed in front of the Justice Building, and most impressive of all, there's a tall metal fence enclosing half of the square, with a Peacekeeper letting kids through.
"I guess that's where we go," I say, looking over at Shine. Her eyes are wide.
"Alright, give me a hug and go on through," Mum says, catching up to us. I hug her and Father, who pats my head fondly.
"Good luck, be good," he says.
"You know I will," I say. I don't hug Glint; I poke him on the side of the head instead. He sticks his tongue out at me in return.
"Both of you, behave," Mum says. "Good luck, and I'll see you after."
"Love you!" I sing out, grabbing Shine's hand and walking towards where the line to go in starts.
"Silver! Wait up!"
I whip my head around to see Flaire pushing her way through the crowd to me. Accompanying her is her bossy older sister Silk and younger but less annoying brother Ruble. I don't see their parents anywhere; they're probably back with the rest of the adults.
"Flaire!" I say, throwing my arms around my friend. "Isn't this exciting?"
"It's a travesty, that's what this is," Silk says, looking at me down her nose. She's eighteen, just on the cusp of not being eligible.
"What do you mean?"
"Making us send two children away to fight? It's absolutely horrible."
"Oh, lighten up Silk," I say. "Today is a day that will go down in history! And we can say that we were there! The reapings of the very first Hunger Games!"
"And hopefully the last," Silk says.
"Come on, Flaire; she's going to bring us down," I say, grabbing Flaire's hand with the one that isn't holding Shine's, and I pull both of them into the lineup. Silk moves to follow us, but a bunch of other people push in front of her, effectively cutting her off.
"Shine, you go ahead of us," I say, setting my sister in front of Flaire and me. "Flaire and I will go in together."
Shine looks back at me and rolls her eyes. "You just want me to go away."
"Course I don't. I'll see you after the reapings, okay?"
"Fine." Shine turns and faces the front, walking forwards slowly like the rest of us as each person goes through the gate.
"Are you excited?" I ask Flaire. She's awfully pale today; I hope she's not sick.
"I thought I would be," Flaire starts.
"But?"
"I'm terrified, Silver," she says, her voice dropping to a whisper. "This isn't fun at all; I don't want to get picked, and I don't want to go to the Capitol."
"You're as bad as Silk," I say, keeping my own voice light. "Odds are, it's going to be a rebel kid who gets chosen this year."
"But it's random."
"You know these things are never random," I say. I throw my arms around my best friend and lean my head on her shoulder. "You'll see, everything will be just fine today. It's history in the making!"
"I hope you're right," Flaire says, briefly leaning her head on mine, and then it's Shine's turn to go through the gate. My small little sister walks through more confidently than the eighteen year old that went right before her. There, she's showing everyone what a Capitol supporter should look like- brave, confident, and in addition to that, beautiful.
"I'll go first," I say to Flaire, pulling away from her.
"What's your name then?" the Peacekeeper woman asks. My eyes go first to the gun on her hip, then to her face. She's young for a Peacekeeper, easily early twenties.
"Silver Bellcreek."
She checks the clipboard that's attached to the side of the fence. "Age sixteen?"
"Yes, that's me."
"Sixth group from the stage on the right. Easy to find." She gives me a small smile, like she knows I'm a Capitol loyalist, and I return it easily. See? Nothing to worry about if you're on the right side.
"Sixteen year old girls, sixteen year olds here!" an older male Peacekeeper shouts, standing by a shorter gate.
"That's me!" I say. He scowls at me and roughly pushes me through the gate so that I stumble.
"Hey! I'm on your side you know!" I say, catching myself before I fall. He doesn't even look over, just pushes a girl along after me. Rude.
I hover near the entrance until Flaire arrives; she manages to get through the gate without being pushed. "He's not very nice, if you haven't guessed that already," I say.
"I gathered." Flaire's face has gotten even paler, if that's possible. Every freckle is standing out boldly against the white of her skin.
"Are you alright?"
"I'm scared and worried about Silk and Ruble. How are you keeping so calm?" Flaire asks.
"I'm not nervous at all," I say. "Not even one bit."
"Lucky."
The square gets more and more full by the minute. Everyone in District 1 is here today, something that hasn't happened since the Games were announced months ago. My stomach feels odd, like it's full of butterflies; I think it's just because I'm so excited. Or nervous. Both of them I think.
Finally, finally! The gate closes at the back and Athie Cumberslip, our mayor, steps out onto the stage. "Hello District 1, and welcome to the first reapings of the Hunger Games!"
I clap, alongside a few other people scattered throughout the square. I guess not a lot of people are happy about the Games, probably the ones who had to take out tesserae. Rebel sympathizers, more like.
While Athie Cumberslip talks, my thoughts slip back in time, to when the rebellion first started. I was twelve, just about thirteen, I believe. Things hadn't been too good for a little while, and there was a lot of suspicion about who wanted to overthrow the Capitol, and who didn't. A lot of loyalists hid who they supported, but we never did. Never!
I was sitting in school, in my classroom with the yellow walls and dark wood floors, where everyone had a desk to themselves. I sat next to Glass Coramund on one side, and Flaire had the seat ahead of me, so the three of us could pass notes to each other.
It was in the middle of math- or history or spelling, I can't remember which- when the windows blew out. A boy sitting by them got blinded; I wonder what happened to him; I don't even recall his name anymore. Anyway, the windows blew out, and my classmates and I were screaming and hiding under our desks.
Our teacher, who later died during the war, got us all out of the schoolhouse before it blew up. I heard that it was an accident, that the explosives were put there by mistake by a stupid rebel who was trying to blow up the train station. They got that too, that same day, but the destruction of the schoolhouse was the first big action of the uprising that I witnessed.
If they would kill children, their own children, how much different can the Hunger Games be, then? I think it's fair payback to the rebels who destroyed the schoolhouse and blinded that poor boy. It's just fair.
"Silver," Flaire whispers in my ear, poking me and bringing me back to the present. "They're going to pull the names."
"Sorry, lost in thought. What did I miss?"
"The reading of the Treaty of Treason."
Mayor Cumberslip says, "And now, to chose our first girl tribute!" My heart pounds in my chest; I don't know right now if I want it to be me or not. Flaire grabs my hand and we hold onto each other tight as the mayor walks across the stage to pull the thin, white, slip of paper out of the bowl. I put five slips into that same bowl on April 1st. Who is it? Who is it?
Clearing her throat, Mayor Cumberslip opens the folded paper and reads it first to herself. "Flaire Moreau!"
Next to me, Flaire shrieks and bursts into tears all at once. "No, no!"
"It's okay, it's okay, you can do this," I say, still holding onto my best friend tight. Out of the corner of my eye I see Glass Coramund, watching us with almost a smug expression on her face. It should have been her, not Flaire.
"I can't, I can't!" A Peacekeeper, the grumpy one from before, bangs the gate to our section open; our former classmates press to either side, making a clear path for Flaire to go out. "No, I can't!"
"Let's go!" he barks.
"One second!" I say, trying to get Flaire to stop crying. "Flaire, come on, you can do this!" I've never seen her like this before, and it's scaring me more than anything. She's been picked, she's the first Hunger Games tribute from District 1, and she doesn't even want it. She's not a rebel, she's a loyalist! So why did they choose her?
"If you don't have to participate, I'd rather you didn't. Not unless you have a very good reason to go." Mum's words go around and around my head. I know what I can do, what I have to do to save Flaire, who wouldn't last five minutes in the Capitol. I just hope everyone can forgive me when I come back.
"I volunteer as tribute!" I say loudly, making every head in District 1 swivel towards me. "I volunteer to take Flaire Moreau's place as tribute."
"Silver! No, no, don't!" Flaire says, squeezing my hand tight. "I'll go, don't die for me!"
"I'm not going to die, Flaire," I say, the pounding in my chest getting stronger. "Give my family my love, okay? I'll come back, I'll come back and everything will be fine."
"Let's go!" the Peacekeeper says, finally having run out of patience. I hug Flaire tight for just a second before he grabs my arm and pulls me from my best friend. Flaire's face is streaked with tears; I want to cry too, just a little, but I'm not going to. I'm the tribute!
"You can let me go; I'll walk!" I say, pulling my arm away from the Peacekeeper. He's not very nice, that's for sure, but he lets me walk the rest of the way to the stage by myself. Everyone is dead quiet as I climb the stairs and go to stand next to Mayor Cumberslip.
The look in her eyes surprises me, like she's truly sorry to see me on this stage. She does know me, after all; my parents and her are friends. "What's your name, dear?" she asks, even though she knows it. Nobody else does, though, but they will now.
"Silver Bellcreek," I say loudly. If my heart doesn't stop beating so hard, I think I might pass out. That might happen anyway; too much has happened in too short a time. No tears, though.
"How old are you?"
"I'm sixteen years old."
"Silver, you may step back." I nod, and move backwards a little, to give the mayor space. I look out over all the people of District 1, my people, and I find my parents at the back. I can't see them very well, but just the sight of them makes me feel a little better. Searching the sections within the square, I see Shine, whose face is also streaked with tears, which surprises me. My sister would cry for me?
A few sections over, there's Silk Moreau, who is blank faced, and on the other side, Ruble, whose eyebrows are raised. And of course I can see Flaire, still crying. And even Glass, who looks- dare I say it? - impressed.
I'm the first girl tribute of District 1! The elation of knowing I'm going to go down in history competes with the nervousness and yes, terror, that I'm feeling all at once. While I wrestle with how to feel, Mayor Cumberslip has stepped over to the bowl holding all the boys' names. I hope it's not Ruble; I don't want Flaire to have to lose me and her brother all in one day.
"Glow Overlock!" On the boy's side at the very back, all the boys around this Glow pull away, letting him leave the section and walk up to the stage confidently. He looks like most of the people here in District 1; dark blonde hair, and as he gets closer, I can see he has the classic blue eyes too. He looks like he's recovered splendidly from the war. Not many people look as strong as he does.
"I'm your tribute, don't any of you volunteer for me!" he calls out over the crowd the minute he gets onto the stage. "I'm your victor!"
Well, we know where he stands, don't we?
"Glow Overlock?" Mayor Cumberslip asks. He nods.
"That's me."
"Age?"
"Eighteen." So he's two years older than me. No wonder I don't know him.
"District 1, I give you your tributes! Silver Bellcreek and Glow Overlock!" On impulse, I grab Glow's hand, linking the two of us briefly as a team. As soon as I take his hand, he drops mine and turns away from me.
"Procedure, we're going to have to restrain you," someone says behind me; I turn to see four Peacekeepers, two of which are holding metal cuffs. The other two hold guns.
Something turns in my stomach; this isn't what I was expecting. "I'm not going to run anywhere; I volunteered to be here," I say, but my voice comes out quivery. Suddenly, all I want is to run down those steps, through the gate, and back into Mum's arms. I feel automatically for the necklace she gave me; I hope she doesn't mind me taking it to the Capitol.
"Sorry miss, but rules are rules."
"Okay." The Peackeepers holding the cuffs simultaneously grab Glow and me, pulling our arms behind our backs and fastening the metal onto our wrists. Even though they're gentle, I'm starting to really get terrified.
"Come with us," the Peacekeeper who cuffed me says. He sounds kind, but I'm a little scared of him too. I look back once, just once at my family, who are pressed against the gate now, watching me. I smile widely for them, so that they know I'll be back. Then my Peacekeeper takes my arm and gently leads me into the Justice Building.
"Where are we going?" I ask, following along behind the Peacekeepers; two in front, two behind, and Glow and I in the middle. A tribute sandwich.
"The train station, miss." The train station? Oh, of course, how else are we going to get to the Capitol? I start to feel a little excited again; maybe the train will be one of those new kinds, with nice seats by the windows so that I can watch Panem go by. I think that might be nice!
The road to the train station is deserted today, probably by design. We're not District 6 by any means, where all they do is transportation, but we do ship off our pretty things to the Capitol every day. Flaire and I like to come and watch the trains leave with all the gold and diamonds and things like that. The train station and the tracks were one of the first things that got repaired after District 13 fell.
"Here's your train," says my Peacekeeper. I step back, almost stepping on one of their boots. This? This is the train I'm going to be riding on? It's a cargo train, like so many of the ones I've seen go by the district before. Each compartment locked with padlocks, like usual.
"No, you have to be mistaken. That's for cargo," I say.
One of the other Peacekeepers, an older man, smirks. "You're the cargo today, lovely." Another Peacekeeper takes out a key and opens the door, a creaky wooden thing that looks like it's full of splinters. The smell that comes from inside the compartment is dusty, mildewy, and rank.
"Good luck in the Capitol you two," my Peacekeeper says, pushing me along while another pushes Glow forward. "You'll be getting some new friends soon, don't you worry." When I don't make any move to climb into the train, I'm hoisted from behind and practically thrown inside, landing on my arm in an awkward and painful way. Glow doesn't go this route; he climbs up beside me.
"Bon voyage!" the older Peacekeeper says, laughing, then slams the door shut, leaving me and Glow in darkness.
What have I done?