To answer a question, Tobais isn't blind, I ment his eyes became swallon, sorry if it didn't make sense.
Finch Maylor POV:
I carefully pulled the knife towards me, cutting the cluster of grapes free from their vine. I lowered them down, carefully into the large basket was placed at my feet. Despite my best attempt, a small pool of grape juice was forming at the bottom. I was trying to ignore it but it was making me feel sick. For every grape that was unless it was five less coins in my pocket.
A young girl next to me looked around, watching a Peacekeeper slowly stroll past her. She followed him until his back was turned before quickly bending down and plucking a loose grape from the floor. A face lit up when she placed the sweet fruit in her mouth. We might grow the grapes but it didn't mean we got to eat them. They were far out of our price range.
My younger brothers we stood next to me, Topa throwing a bunch of grapes down to his twin brother, Luca. Luca screamed when the bunch fell towards him, laughing as he went to clasp his hands around it. There was a wet sound as the grapes were crushed in his hands, showering him, and everyone around him in the fruit juices.
"Luca," I whispered as the Peacekeepers marched towards them. I could understand their anger, everyone knew how to pick grapes. The younger children were provided with ladders but they were expected to pass the grapes down in a basket. The punishment didn't seem to fit the crime, though. A whipping for a simple mistake? I wasn't sure what they expected, giving children their age seven-hour shifts, they were bound to lose interest.
Luca was pulled away from the vines and dragged into the open, Topa being lifted from the ladders, kicking and screaming. I watched in horror as the head peacekeeper pulled a whip free from his belt, ripping Luca'sshirtt to reveal his bare back. Topa was restrained while he watched the whip break the skin on his brother's back.
"Luca!" I screamed, leaping past the wall of Peacekeepers and jumping in front of the whip.
"Move," he growled at me, taking off his helmet to reveal his podgy, middle aged face.
"No, punish me instead, they are my brothers, I should have been watching them," I said breathlessly, hugging a whimpering Luca. The Peacekeeper stopped for a second then looked at Topa who was shouting in protest to my whipping.
"Okay then," he laughed, kicking Luca away to be restrained. I went to unbutton my shirt but he cracked down the whip straight away, leaving a large gash on my arm. I screamed and cried for ten lashings until my back was covered in sores and he had become bored. Five for each brother, I had saved them from the pain so I accepted my punishment with pride. I would have asked them to be more careful next time but I knew, they would do it again. However, I would always be there to protect them.
Neki Ompoto POV:
Reaping day was something I feared. It was something my father gave his life to stop. He wanted to us to live freely, to pick our own leaders, to not send our children into the Games to die. He would have done it too if it wasn't for his backstabbing friend, we would have won the war. Now he was dead, we lost and the traitor was now living a comfy life in The Capitol. Life was good for him. I had to watch children die every year.
My father was the greatest warrior of all time, fighting tooth or claw for our freedom. His strength was proven in the fact it took a sneak attack by someone he trusted to take him down.
"Finch Maylor," the chosen female walked up to the stage, her body shaking as she climbed the steps. It was just cruel. My older sister Mariko let out a relieved sigh from the fifteen year old section. Every year, she was worried that it would be her name plucked from the bowl but so far, she had gotten through every year. It was me I was worried about, I looked just like my father and shared his personality. I was the clear candidate.
I knew what was going to happen when our Escort, flutter chose the male name. And when my name was shouted out, I was already walking towards the stage.
Mariko stayed silent, not wanting to anger The Capitol more than her existence already had. When I mounted the stage, I looked towards the bowl of males names. Wondering if all the names were mine or if Flutter had been given my name in advance.
I wanted to run over to the bowl and pull my own name out. If it was mine, I could prove what The Capitol was doing. I could start a new rebellion, just like my father. Even if they shot me dead on the stage. They would kill Mariko though, so it was best to stay quiet and keep my head low. Whatever was coming, my father's training would get be through. After all, I was his son.