Hi, everyone! Before we start with this new chapter, I'll remind you that you can still submit SPONSORS for the current story and TRIBUTES for Divine Punishment. Just remember that submitters can assign up to 20 EXTRA POINTS to tributes per chapter (after all the Reapings are done). Of course, the more points tributes earn, the more possibilities they have to survive (the list with their current points is on my profile). For further info, see my profile or PM me. Thank you!
And now enjoy your reading :)
Two years ago
Bella Page (14)- Citizen of District 7
Today is Rose's birthday. Rose, my best friend… I feel unexplainably happy, as if I was the one having my birthday. For the occasion, she'll have a party at her house. I'll check my outfit for the party one more time: a bell-shaped, ochre yellow dress with a subtle flowery pattern, with which I match a white waistband. I usually keep this dress for Reaping days, but today there's a special occasion to celebrate. My best outfit for my best friend.
I climb down the wooden staircase and recover the bag with my present in the living room. I hope she'll like it. It's a necklace with a rose-shaped pendant… every rose is beautiful but with thorns like my friend, because she's such a feisty person, whereas I'm the quiet one. Anyway, we met at school and immediately became friends, despite our diversity of temper.
Rose lives a few blocks away, so I can go there by foot. It's a sunny spring afternoon, and a gentle breeze is blowing, carrying past me the sweet smell of flowers in the shrubberies. I love spring, it's my favourite season… nature's rebirth after a freezing winter. Temperatures can truly be extreme at that time of the year, but living in District 7 has its advantages too, I suppose. Contact with nature is a fundamental part of our lives. Besides, our district specializes in paper and, as a consequence, books are easily available. I couldn't live without my books. My parents are two teachers, and they have always recognized the importance of the written word. Once, my father told me: "It's not only a matter of education, Bella. Books contain the voices of our forebears, and there can't be a future without a past. Remember that."
As soon as I set foot in Rose's house, she hugs me.
"It's about time you showed up, Bella!" she greets me.
I give her my present. "That's a little gift for you. Happy birthday, Rose," I say.
She immediately unwraps it. "Oh, Bella… it's beautiful! You didn't have to… that's really too much…" she stammers, without taking her eyes off the necklace.
"Glad you like it."
"Like? I love it! Tell me… you thought of my name when you bought it, didn't you?"
"Of course," I reply, but I don't tell her why.
I know she would appreciate the beautiful-but-with-thorns thing, but I feel too excited to add something more. I'm really happy Rose likes my present. Actually, I was still on the fence when I bought it, because she doesn't wear necklaces very often. It must be said that not many people in Seven can afford to buy jewels. Our two families are well-off enough; nevertheless, Rose and I don't like bragging about it.
Rose hasn't invited too many people to her party, mainly our schoolmates. There's also someone I don't know… some friends or relatives, I suppose. I spot also Gary Hackman in the crowd.
"You invited Gary?" I whisper to Rose.
"Nah, he crashed at as usual! Does it bother you? Have you got something to tell me?" she replies with a smirk.
"Ah, ah, very funny."
Gary is two years older than us. He has flowing, dark hair and brown eyes. He belongs to a family of lumberjacks, and you can tell it by his muscled physique. Even if Gary flirts with every pretty (and rich) girl he sees, Rose keeps saying that he has a crush on me. But I don't think so; besides, he's not my type. Rose loves teasing me with this story, so it's likely to be all an invention of her.
"Gary has not a crush on me, Rose," I say.
"And you?"
"He's just a friend to me, and you know it."
"If you think so… why did you blush, then?" she replies with a wide smile, pinching my cheeks.
"Stop it, please! I'm embarrassed, that's all!" I rebut, giggling.
Luckily, Rose lets go of this stuff, eventually. The rest of the party is quite pleasant. It's as good a time as any to have a talk to your friends outside of school, and also to meet new people. Time goes by, and I don't even realize it. Eventually, it's time for the birthday cake- a mille-feuille cake decorated with red fruits that Rose's mother made with her own hands. But Rose is nowhere to be found. Where has she gone? We start looking for her, but, apparently, she's neither inside nor outside the house. I feel a bit worried. How could she just disappear?
Eventually, I see her outside the lumber room where her father- a wood craftsman- keeps his tools. She's speaking cheerfully with Gary like it was nothing. I'm about to join them and tell Rose that she must get back, when Gary gets closer to Rose and kisses her. I feel a sudden pang in my stomach. My heart sinks. My cheeks are burning, and I'd like to cry. Why do I feel like that? I cannot be jealous of Gary, right? But maybe of my best friend...
…...
9 years ago
Erasmus Page (40)- Citizen of District 7
I'm suddenly woken up by a knock at the front door in the dead of night. I try to get out of bed without waking my wife, but she has already turned around, rubbing her eyes.
"What's up?" she asks me in a whisper.
"Someone knocked. I'll go downstairs to check, you stay here," I reply.
To descend the stairs, I must walk by my daughter's room. I have a quick look inside: little Bella is sleeping peacefully. She has also a smile on her lips. She must be having a nice dream.
The knocking continues insistently. I run downstairs as fast as I can.
"Who is it?" I ask, when I'm finally at the front door. My voice is slightly quivering.
Who can come to wake you up in the dead of night? If he was a prowler, he wouldn't knock, would he?
"It's Noah. Please, Erasmus, open the door!" he answers.
Noah is our neighbour. I open the door to let him in, and notice that he's totally upset: he's all sweaty and is breathing hard, leaning on the door frame.
"What's up, Noah? Would you like a glass of water?" I ask him, worried.
"No, there's no time to waste! A fire… a fire has started in the lumberjacks' quarter! They said it's not an arson… just the heat… this summer has been so dry. But it's quickly spreading, we need all possible help to quench it!" he replies, while trying to catch his breath.
I nod and immediately follow him. Noah is right: it has been an unusual summer, too hot and too dry for a district located that far north. Besides, in District 7 the majority of buildings is made of wood, so fires are quite common, especially in the areas near the pine forest like the lumberjacks' quarter.
When we get on the spot, we find out that luckily the fire has been almost completely tamed, expect for a couple of houses that are still burning. I join the bucket brigade that has been formed to speed up the process. Suddenly, I hear a distinct scream in the night. I look around to see where it comes from, but… no, it comes from inside one of the burning houses!
"There's still someone inside!" I shout.
"It can't be, nobody can survive so long in a burning house," replies a man grimly.
"But I heard someone scream! There's someone trapped inside!" I insist.
"You must have imagined it," he says with a shrug.
No, I haven't imagined it. As a confirmation, I hear another scream. I immediately run towards the house, careless about the fire.
"Are you mad? Stop!"
No, I can't stop. I'm driven by a force that I didn't know to possess. Inside the house, the heat is unbearable. I cover my mouth and nose with my hand to avoid breathing the smoke. The fire illuminates the house like daytime but orienting with its deafening roaring in my ears and drops of sweat on my eyes is not easy. Luckily, the house is on one floor. I hear a third scream and follow it till I find a tiny figure curled up in a corner. It's a child. With my free arm, I immediately hold him… or her? I can't see well. But who cares? It's a life to save! I try to go back the way I came, but the boards of the ceiling are already shutting down, sending pieces of burning wood on the floor. I manage to avoid them, holding the child more tightly for protection. We finally leave the house right before it collapses. Relieved, I breathe deeply, even if a nasty taste of smoke has spread in my mouth and throat. I look at the child I just saved… it's a boy with messy, blonde hair and blue eyes. He's still shocked but fine.
"What's your name, kid?" I ask him.
"Cedric," he answers in a whisper.
"Where are your parents, Cedric?"
He points at the pile of burning boards that was his house. The fire has made Cedric an orphan.
"And you haven't got some relatives? Grandparents or uncles?"
He shakes his head. I don't know whether he has realized what has just happened to him. In any case, I cannot leave him alone. Orphans end up in community homes, and they're said to be dreadful places. I don't need to think about it one more second, I've already made my decision: from now on, Cedric will be part of my family.
I take him home, where I find my wife and Bella in the living room. My daughter runs immediately towards me.
"What has happened, daddy? Who is he?" she asks.
"That's your brother, his name is Cedric. Why don't you show him his new house?" I reply, messing up with her brown hair.
"Sure. Welcome home, Cedric. My name is Bella," she says with a gentle smile, holding her hand out to him.
"Thank you," he replies with a face as red as a tomato, and then follows her upstairs.
In the meantime, my wife has joined me. She's clearly confused.
"Angela…" I say.
"What has happened?" she asks me.
"There was a fire. Cedric… all his family was… I couldn't leave him alone…" I stammer.
In response, she hugs me. "You did right, Erasmus," she says.
When I pass by Bella's room, I see that Cedric is laying on her bed, while she's sitting on the floor beside him with a book on her lap.
"Can you tell me a fairy tale?" he asks her.
"Of course. Once upon a time, there was a little hero named Cedric, who was the bravest knight of the kingdom…"
…...
Present day
Bella Page (16)- Citizen of District 7
I wake up with dregs of a dream, but I can't remember it. Cedric has slept with me last night. Today, it's his first Reaping, and he was too scared to sleep alone. Like he didn't have enough problems… sometimes, he still wakes up screaming and squirming like his body was on fire- the effect of the fire that killed the rest of his family of origin, I suppose. But he just needs some stroking and comforting words to calm down. That's why we sleep in the same room. When he has his panic attacks, I can immediately help him. Then, when he has quieted down, I tell him a fairy tale. I invent a new story every time, but it has always a brave, little hero named Cedric as the protagonist. I like thinking that my brother can fight the ghosts of his past like a real hero.
I get out of bed, then shake Cedric from his slumber. He stretches a bit while yawning.
"Good morning, little hero. Did you sleep well?" I ask him.
"Yes, thanks to you," he answers.
"Come on! Let's have breakfast!" I offer.
He snorts and lays back again, moaning. "Can we stay in bed a little bit longer?" he asks in a whiny tone.
"No, we can't. I'm sorry," I reply, messing up with his blonde hair.
He snorts again, but, luckily, he follows me in the kitchen. Our parents are already having breakfast- milk and coffee, cookies and brioches. We join them. Cedric grabs a pot of strawberry jam from the shelf to fill his brioche. There's some tension in the air. No one says a word, so I decide to break that awkward silence: "What shall we do after the Reaping?"
"We'll see, Bella. Your mum and I have some homework to correct," answers my father.
"But today is Reaping day, no one is supposed to work. You could take a break…"
"Life has to go on, dearie. Everyone has work to do, Reaping or not Reaping," he interrupts me.
We get ready for the ceremony. I'll wear my best dress, while Cedric chooses a simple, long-sleeved, blue shirt and a pair of dark brown trousers. We head to the main square together, but my brother and I step away from our parents.
"What did he mean by "life has to go on"?" Cedric asks me at some point.
"He meant that we have to stay strong, no matter what happens," I reply.
"I don't know how you can be so calm… I've got only one slip and I'm scared, while you with your five slips… you're admirable, sis," he continues.
"Maybe I've only got used. It's your first Reaping, Cedric, a little fear is normal. Don't you remember when the hero had to defeat the dragon? He was scared too, but he made it at the end," I say with a smile.
He giggles. "Don't you think I'm too old for that stuff?"
"Old? You're only twelve! Besides, you can be a hero at all ages!"
When we reach the square in front of the Justice Building, Cedric starts trembling. I hold his hand.
"Everything gonna be okay," I say with a reassuring smile.
He just nods in response. We present ourselves to the peacekeepers, then reach our sections. Rose comes stand beside me. She's wearing the necklace I gave her for her fourteenth birthday.
"How are you, Rose?" I ask her.
I know she's still a bit annoyed, because Gary split up with her last month.
"I'd be happier, if Gary got reaped," she replies venomously.
"Don't say that! I know you don't think that for real. You're a good girl, Rose, you'll find someone who really appreciates you."
"You're the only one who does it, Bella."
I blush. "You're my best friend," I reply.
"Yeah, I know it… as your best friend, I must tell you something…"
"What?" I ask, curious.
"Gary told me it was just a flirt… two years a flirt!? That stupid idiot! Anyway, he said that he just wanted to make you jealous, he went out with me so long to make it look serious…"
Now or never. "Well, he did make me jealous, but…"
But I don't get the chance of finishing my utterance, because the escort from the Capitol has mounted the stage- a man in a ridiculous, dotted costume that makes him look like a clown.
"Good morning, District 7! Welcome to the 99th annual Hunger Games! Amazing how quickly time passes! It feels like yesterday I came here for the first time, and a year has gone by, instead! Anyway, let's go down to business! We are all eager to know our tributes, right? Ladies first!" he chirps.
He picks up the first slip he finds. "Bella Page!"
When my name is called, all my world falls apart before my eyes. Rose is looking at me, unable to speak, her eyes widened with terror, her face of an unhealthy pallor. I leave my section at a slow pace, almost mechanically, and then mount the stage, trying to look calm. The last thing I need now is to be targeted at as a weakling. You're not going to die, Bella, you can make it like the hero who defeated the dragon... I keep repeating to myself.
"Oh, what a wonderful young lady! Does anyone want to volunteer for her?" asks the escort, but no one answers, of course.
As a matter of fact, volunteers are rare in District 7, so I'm neither surprised nor angry.
"Let's move to men, then… the lucky one is… Cedric Page!" he goes on.
No, it can't be, please not Cedric! I scan the crowd, looking for my brother, but my eyes meet those of Gary, instead. Please, Gary, save him… save him, if you really love me... I silently pray. But Gary looks away. What did I expect in the end? In the meantime, Cedric has joined me onstage.
"Are you siblings?" asks the escort.
For a moment, I can see a glimpse of genuine sorrow in his eyes, but it is quickly replaced by a fake cheerfulness.
"Yes," I answer in a whisper.
"Oh, this gonna be interesting! Will the siblings ally or rival? We'll find it out soon! Ladies and gentlemen, the tributes of District 7, Bella and Cedric Page! Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be ever in your favour!"
When I'm left alone in the waiting room, I have to use all my strength to avoid crying. I bury my head in the pillows on the couches to suffocate my sobs. I hear the door open behind my back.
"Go away! I don't want to see anyone!" I shout, without turning around.
"Not even your best friend?" Rose asks from behind my back.
I breathe deeply. Eventually, when I turn around, I see that Rose is teary. I've never seen her cry, not even when Gary split up with her. She hugs me.
"Oh, Bella! That's unfair! You and your brother in one shot! I… I feel so guilty, I should have volunteer, but… I was paralyzed, I couldn't…" she stammers.
I break her embrace. "I would never let you volunteer for me, Rose. I… you're my best friend, I can't let them hurt you," I say.
"What are you going to do with your brother?"
"I'll do my best to protect him, even if it means my death. In any case, District 7 will have a victor this year, I promise," I affirm, trying to sound convinced.
"You'd better keep your promise, then," she replies under her breath. "Take this as a district token. Wear it and I'll be with you," she adds, giving me her necklace.
"Thank you."
My parents visit me next. I tell them the same things I told Rose, basically: I'm going to do everything I can to save Cedric.
"He told us the same," says my mother, teary.
"Maybe they will change the rules and allow two victors from the same district," offers my father, trying to sound hopeful.
"Like they did with the Mockingjay? No, they won't make the same mistake, and you know it. I want to be honest with you: faced with choice, I'll choose Cedric's life over mine. I… I thank you for everything… I…"
But I can't finish my utterance, because I burst into tears.
My parents hug me tight. "Don't give up, Bella, I know we'll see you again," says my father, eventually.
…...
Cedric Page (12)- District 7 male tribute
It must me a nightmare, that's the only possibility. I start slapping my face, trying desperately to wake up, but it doesn't work, and the pain is too intense to be fake. I've been reaped for the Hunger Games, where I'm going to fight to the death… and, even worse, if I want to survive, Bella has to die. That can't be real. I've already lost everything once, and I will lose my sister too, if I don't do anything. Yeah, if I don't do anything… this thought possesses me now. I'm going to protect her with my life. I know my parents love me and will suffer because of my death, but they cannot lose their true daughter. Besides, if I die, I will reunite with my family of origin… it's not that bad, right?
Axel and Rob- my best friends- visit me first, interrupting my thoughts. We're inseparable, in fact they call us "the three musketeers" at school. We try some little conversation, we talk also a bit about old times… but there's nothing they can say that could ever comfort me. It's awful… I'm going to die soon, and I'm not able to say goodbye to my best friends.
My parents visit me next. They immediately hug me.
"Oh, Cedric, my child! We're so sorry!" says my mother, while tears keep flooding from her eyes.
"Promise us you'll be strong, also for your sister," adds my father.
"I'll be strong as a knight, I promise," I say.
My father breaks the embrace to look me right in the eye. "Life has been unfair to you, kid, but you have always to show the best version of you. You cannot let despair overwhelm you, remember that."
I nod. "I'll be brave as the knight of my sister's tales… and every good knight has a princess to save. Bella gonna be my princess."
So, Bella and Cedric are the tributes of District 7. What do you think of them? In particular, I'd like to know your opinion about Bella and her relationship with Rose. Honestly, it's the first time I write something like that, so maybe you can give me some tips. You can also PM me, if you don't want to send a review.
Thank you for reading :)
