District 6 Reapings
Alvino "Vino" Thornton
District 6 Male
Age 12
"Vino!"
I jolt awake in surprise. Propping myself up with my elbow, I rub my eyes blearily as the curtains around my window are thrown open.
"Wake up sleepyhead! It's Reaping day and mom wants us downstairs. Damara is already downstairs."
I blink the crust around my eyes away to see Christ framed in the blinding daylight.
"Yeah, okay, Christ. I'm up." I sigh. Christ beams and slaps me on the back.
"Hurry downstairs or mom's gonna make me call you again," he laughs before leaving my room. To my annoyance, he leaves my door open. I get out of bed and close it before putting on my clothes.
"VINO! HEY! YOU UP THERE?!" I hear a yell coming from my now-open window. I run over to see my best friend, Holly, squinting up at me from the pavement below. Like me, she's wearing the nicest things she has, although her pale yellow dress is tattered.
"Hey Holly! I'll meet you at that place later to bring you something, okay?!" I yell down. Holly gives me a thumbs-up to show me that she heard me before running off down the street.
When I get downstairs, I see that my mother is already serving everyone oatmeal. My father is hiding behind his morning paper. Christ waves at me and Damara stirs her oatmeal without much interest.
But despite this peaceful breakfast scene, I can tell how tense everyone is feeling. My father is usually very loudmouthed, but today he's very quiet. My mother's hands are shaking as she places down a bowl of oatmeal in front of me, and I realize that she has included extra toppings for each of my siblings and I. Christ's usually bright smile seems forced, and even Damara seems a little off. But I can't really tell with her; she doesn't show much emotion anyways.
"Eat up, Vino. I want you to have a full stomach today before we go to the Reapings," my mother says to me. Once she turns her back, I scoop up the strawberries and blueberries, hiding them in a plastic bag. I'll give those to Holly later.
"You kids kill some time until the Reaping, okay?" my dad says from behind his newspaper. Damara stands up and walks off to her room. Christ runs out the door, probably to go see his many, many friends.
As for me, I hide the plastic baggie inside my jacket and quickly exit the house. After making sure that I'm not being followed, I head to where Holly is waiting for me.
"Oooh! Strawberries!" Holly immediately cries when she notices my bag. I smile and hand her the baggie, watching her eagerly open it.
Holly and I met quite a long time ago; I found her stealing food from someone. I surprised her and we got into a fight, but I realized how desperate she was. Back then, she was incredibly thin, and her clothes were tattered.
I took pity on her and took her in, but she had to get out of the house when my parents came home. I knew they wouldn't like her.
"I'll see you at the Reapings today, okay?" Holly tells me when she's finished. I roll my eyes.
"I hope neither of us are Reaped." I say. Holly laughs, but her usual cheerful laugh feels empty.
Comet Irwing
District 6 Female
Age 16
I stand in the sixteen-year old section next to my best friend Leaf. As always, highlights from last year's Hunger Games are playing on the screen. The both of us wince every time someone dies.
I wish the Hunger Games didn't exist. Leaf feels the same way, but neither of us can do anything about it, no matter how desperately we wish we could. I glance over at Leaf, who has her hands clasped together, probably praying to a God for my sister, Willow, and her sister Flight for our lives.
My entire family, rather, my adoptive family, and Leaf family are all devout Christians, or whatever is left of the religion. But truth to be told, I don't believe that there is a God up there. After all, if there was a God somewhere up there, would they let us all suffer like this? The only two people who know about my beliefs are Leaf and my adoptive sister, Willow. They promised that they would keep it a secret.
Leaf and I just happened to sit next to each other in school and many religious events, and we just kind of clicked. We both want to be doctors someday, so we study together with Willow. She also wants to be a doctor, so she follows us around a lot.
"Weren't those some lovely clips from last year?" our escort, Madoka last-name-I-forgot, walks onto stage and smiles brightly at us. Leaf and I both think that Madoka is a little odd.
She looks much younger than twenty years old, and she has pink hair with bright purple ribbons. She always holds a cat plushie, which is currently white. It's a different color every time we see her.
"Okay everyone, how about a boy first?" she asks with a big smile that none of us return. She skips over to the boy's bowl and picks out a name.
"Alvino Thornton!" a part of the crowd in the twelve-year-old section clears as a scream comes up from someone. At first, the boy doesn't move, but as the Peacekeepers converge on him, he finally starts moving.
"Poor kid…" Leaf murmurs as the boy shakily walks up to the stage.
"What's your name?" Madoka asks kindly. Even from all the way from the back of the crowd, I can see the tears in the boy's eyes.
"A-Alvino Th-Thornton… b-but everyone c-calls me Vino…" The boy gives the crowd a shaky smile. Madoka smiles sweetly and strolls over the girl's bowl. At the very least, she almost avoided the boy's stream of vomit a second later. Madoka looks a little shocked, but she quickly dumps some water on her dress and plucks out a name from the girl's bowl.
"Comet Irwing!"
"No!" Leaf gasps, whirling around to face me. Everything around me freezes. I can barely breathe.
I'm going to die. I think. But as the realization settles in, I find that I am strangely at peace with it. I give Leaf a sad look and walk through the crowd, which parts around me. Everything moves at a dreamlike pace, until I am standing up on the stage.
I can see Willow in the thirteen-year-olds section, staring at me with horror in her eyes. I can see my adoptive mother and father crying in the parent's section. I can see Leaf with tears leaking out of her eyes, shaking her head as if refusing to accept it.
"What's your name, dear?" Madoka asks me, breaking me out of my dreamlike trance.
"Comet Irwing." I say steadily. Madoka smiles as she walks to the center of the stage, her cat plushie swinging in her arm.
"District 6, meet your tributes, Alvino Thornton and Comet Irwing!"
Alvino "Vino" Thornton
District 6 Male
Age 12
Even though it's such a nice room, I can't even sense where I am. I can't believe that I was Reaped. My heart is hammering out of my chest.
Even so, I don't think I've ever felt more embarrassed than when I vomited on the escort. I probably won't get any sponsors now.
"VINO!" Holly practically kicks the door down and tackles me, knocking me off the couch.
"Ow! Holly, get off me!" I cry. Holly loosens her grip somewhat, but she still clings onto me, sobbing.
"Er… friend of yours, Vino?" Christ just walked in with my mom, my dad, and Damara. I see tears in both my parents' eyes. Christ is smiling, but it looks forced. Like usual, Damara shows no sign of emotion.
"Yes," I say automatically, while pushing Holly off of me. The second I say it, I realize that saying it may not have been the best idea. Christ and my parents look surprised, and even Damara raises her eyebrow a bit.
"That's… surprising," Damara says, her voice flat. I roll my eyes and glance ot Holly, who's looking a bit confused. My father places his hand on my shoulder.
"Listen here, Vino. Listen closely to your mentor. Don't be… impulsive with your answers to the interview questions. Try to get as many allies as you can, okay?" my father has never looked more scared.
The moment he steps back, my mother throws her arms around me, sobbing.
"Oh Vino my baby! It's outrageous if I could go in instead of you I-"
"It's okay, mom." I say, embarrassed. I have the distinct feeling that Holly is holding in a laugh. My mother steps back, tears welling up in her eyes as she weeps.
Christ slaps me on the back, as if he doesn't know what else to say. Damara nods at me slightly. At last, Holly steps forward one more time.
"Vino, take this," she murmurs. Holly hands me a ball of solid mud. Once again, I see Christ raise his eyebrows.
Holly and I often make mud balls to play with after it rains. It entertains us, and if one breaks, we can always make another. This one is smaller than the ones we usually make, but it'll do.
"Thanks Holly," I murmur as I slip it into my pocket, "I promise to keep this safe." Holly shakes her head at me.
"Silly, it's just a ball of mud. You can make a new one if it breaks," she says.
"Time's up!" the peacekeepers call from outside. Holly, my father, my mother, and Christ give me one last hug (Damara shakes my hand) and they leave.
"Good luck Vino! Stay safe!" I hear Holly yell before the door closes. I roll the small mud ball around in my hands. It makes me think of the times when I didn't have to worry about this.
Comet Irwing
District 6 Female
Age 16
My mother, Sasha Driver, fell in love with a very bad man, who eventually became my biological father, Jaguar Klaus. My father was the leader of a criminal organization known as TigerClan who terrorized District 6 for years.
When a team of detectives finally brought him and his organization down, my father was given the death penalty for his crimes. It happened when my brother, Hawk, and I were just four years old.
My mother didn't want us to live under his shadow. She didn't want us to be judged by society for what our father did. So before she went into hiding, she gave us up to my new father and mother, Misty and Liam Irwing.
They are very religious, and she encouraged me to believe in their God as well. But I didn't believe. I'm always scared about what will happen to me if I told my family that I didn't believe in God.
My thoughts are interrupted by the door to the Goodbye Room opening.
"Comet…?" Misty, Liam, and Willow walk into the room.
"Hello mother, father, Willow." I say calmly. I don't know why, but I feel at peace with the idea that I will die. My adoptive mother embraces me tightly, hands shaking slightly.
"It's going to be okay, Comet. You believe in God. If you believe in God until the very end, you will find peace in Heaven." Misty's voice is slightly muffled. Willow sobs and holds Liam's hand, burying her face in the fabric of his pant leg.
"God will forgive your lineage, Comet, I promise you," Misty continues. I realize that if I'm going to tell my adoptive family that I don't believe in God, now would be the best time. Or else I might never get another chance.
"Misty, Liam…" I begin, "...I… I don't believe in God!" Misty draws back, her face displays a look of clear shock.
"I-I never did! A-after all… I just find it hard to believe! No one has ever seen Him, right? A-And, how does one being have so much power! And even so, why does He allow such terrible things like the Games to continue! I just don't get it! I-I just…" my voice falters. Misty is angry, I can tell. I look over at Liam, who looks just as shocked. Willow is staring at me wide-eyed.
"I-I'm sorry, mother, father. I promise! I promise to be a good person until the end, even if I don't believe in God! I'm really sorry! I-"
"Comet." Misty places her hand on my shoulder, "It's alright." I pause and look up at her, surprised.
"I am disappointed that you did not tell me, but I forgive you." Misty gives me a hug.
"Do your best, Comet. Even if you don't believe in God… I hope that you will find peace wherever you go."
My adoptive family leaves, leaving me feeling slightly stunned. I didn't expect it to go so smoothly.
"Comet!" Leaf runs into the room. After a quick hug, Leaf presses a small parcel into my hands.
"I'll miss you, Comet, I really will," she murmurs, "I know that you refuse to kill anyone. I know that you don't want to cause harm."
"I'm sorry, Leaf-"
"It's okay, Comet, I understand."
Leaf waves goodbye when it's time for her to go, leaving me with the small parcel. I sit back down onto the velvet couch, assuming that Leaf was the last visitor today.
"Comet." I look up in surprise at my mother.
"Moth-" my mother clasps my hands in hers.
"I am proud of how far you've come, my daughter," she murmurs, "You can survive. Fight and kill anyone who gets in your way, my daughter." I stare at my mother.
"Mother…. I… don't want to."
"What?" mother looks at me, surprise in her eyes.
"I don't want to hurt anyone. I'd rather die than become a monster." I explain. My mother looks confused. Then she sighs.
"Very well, Comet. I'll miss you. I suppose this wish of yours is because of Hawk?" she asks. I wince at his name.
Hawk had gone to jail for plotting with former TigerClan members to bring TigerClan back. I had known about Hawk's plan, but I was too scared to report him. It wasn't until Leaf encouraged me to do so that I did.
My mother gives me a hug and a proud but sad smile.
When it's time, the doors close at last, sealing my fate.
UUUUUUGGGGHHHH SCHOOL HAS MURDERED MEEEEE
Okay, now that I've finished this, I'm going to write the next chapter of Smash Whodunnit, because I've wanted to for some time. Also, we decided to just delete the blog, since someone jumped out the window on that one.
Thanks to santiago poncini 20 for Alvino "Vino" Thornton!
And also to my sis for Comet Irwing
So thank you guys so much for reading and me, NyanToDaMax145, will see you guys next time! BOOOIIIIIII!