-Karima Highland, 15- Lady Lysa Arryn-
I wake up to my mother calling me awake. I hold tight to the bunny that was tangled in my arms, realizing that it's totally 11:00 and I totally and completely slept for way too long!
My heart rate picks up. I like to hold to my schedule, and my schedule entails waking up at 6:45 to get to school. It definitely doesn't entail waking up at 11!
"Get up," Mom says, sounding stern, "It's reaping day."
Oh, reaping day. That's right. The one day when there is no school, and many don't see the need to go into work. The one day that everything is out of whack. Not to mention that two teens are sent off to the Games today.
I wake up and stretch, setting the bunny on my dresser. My bunny is one of the numerous teddies made for me by my grandmother Ethel. My grandma is a beautiful woman, and probably the wisest person I know, not even because she's so old. If only my mother and I got along half as well as I do with my grandmother.
My mother has the tub ready, after having bathed in it when the water was still hot. If I could I would fight her, but that would be totally not cool. She's older than me, after all, and calling out a fight would just be plain disrespectful as her daughter. I still have to bend to her authority. I wash up, dunking my head underwater and running my hands through my long black hair as it floats on the water. I love how that feels. Then, I sit up again and get out of the now lukewarm tub. I dry off as best as I can, holding my hair from my face by tying it up in a towel. Without all the hair there, my blue eyes pop even more. But it's also so much more obvious how my nose is crooked from that one time it was broken and didn't heal right. I sigh.
I change into a simple blouse and a skirt, letting my hair down and drying it as thoroughly as I can with a towel. I run a comb through it so that it looks good before I go to the kitchen for breakfast.
My father gives me a hug in good morning, though he speaks more through actions than words, which is fine by me. I think my optimistic attitude comes from him more than it does my mother. He always knows what to do to make me feel better instead of talking only through commands.
My mother hands me some toast she made over the fireplace, complete with butter and some berries on the side. All in all, not too bad a breakfast, I'd say. I didn't realize how hungry I was until I start to eat. I eat hungrily and gratefully, keeping the bunny from grandma with me to give me some kind of peace. I have to remind myself that yes, I can eat every day, which makes me leaps and bounds more important than other girls my age.
Even though now I know my eating schedule and my sleep schedule are both messed up. I like to have things consistent, so reaping days are my least favorite day of the whole year. Nothing is how it should be.
I hug and kiss my father one last time and bid farewell to my mother before I go out to find my best friend before the reaping.
I see Ferris at the District pawn shop, where the poor people go to sell their heirlooms and belongings in hopes that they can get food to last another day, and where more fortunate people go to find new things to call their own. My mother goes there a lot, and always complains about how it's all junk, though sometimes she finds a necklace or a ring or a broach or a pin that's in her price range, and she'll buy it and show it off. My mother enjoys the pretty things, that's for sure. It's a good thing we're pretty well-off.
I tap him on the shoulder and he turns around, flashing me a smile.
"Hey Karima," he says. He seems a little on-edge, considering he's even more dependent on things being normal as I am. Besides, today is reaping day, who wouldn't be nervous?
I am stronger than every single person in my entire grade because stronger is better. I am definitely the most important fifteen year-old in the District. My drive to be the best, my confidence, it's a feeling I have that consumes me like fire. I am definitely better than Ferris, more independent and stronger than him. But I love him anyways, he's my best friend. Even though he's the reason my nose is messed up. Though I try to drop the grudge, hating him and holding a grudge like that is incredibly unladylike.
"So, are you nervous?" he asks. That seems to be the first question you're asked on a reaping morning. By adults, kids, teens, anyone.
"Why wouldn't I be?" I sigh, trying not to think of the worst and adding, "I'm sure it'll be fine though. Probably not either of us. We're still pretty young, and I don't take tesserae."
"True… Alright."
I nod and together, we leave the shop and walk toward the Square where the reaping will be held, Ferris beside me. We get in line with the other teens from the District and I start to feel incredibly nervous. Don't worry, I tell myself, You're Karima Highland. You'll be okay.
Ferris and I soon realize that we're going to have to split and I get even more nervous and unsettled. I give him one last hug before he waves and we separate, me walking toward the girls' section, and him toward the boys'. When I get to the roped-off area for fifteen-year-old girls, I make sure that I push my way to the front.
The mayor takes the stage, clears his throat, and begins to read out his reaping day speech. I listen, even though it's always the same, just said slightly differently. At least reapings have a schedule that they go by. That thought brings me at least a little thought of peace. I sigh as the escort takes the stage.
James Rhodes is his name, he's been the escort for pretty much as long as I can remember. He has dark skin, and the only dye in his hair is one long red strand going all the way down his back. He looks like a demon and honestly everyone here is freaked out by him. Who can forget the girl in my year when we were 13 that got reaped and started crying and tried to run to her family rather than stand by his side?
"Welcome, to this reaping for the 84th Hunger Games. Please remember that volunteering is always an option, instead of sending dead meat into the Arena." I sigh, but my heart is flying. I don't think I could take being in the Games, honestly. Or, not yet, anyways.
"So, with that, let's select our female tribute first." He walks over to the glass bowl with the white slips in it. He swirls his hands around the bowl and picks out a name. He walks back over to the microphone and reads.
"Karima Highland!" My heart seems to stop. It drops to the bottom of my stomach. Immediately I know that I'm going to go into the Games, and I'm probably going to die there… No, Karima, don't think like that, I try to tell myself, but the fear overtakes me.
"Karima? Karima Highland? Come on now, we don't have all day," he's starting to sound irritated. Tears start to flow freely out of my eyes. I scream a bit, a scream of defiance, choking with sobs. I think about my grandmother and parents in the crowd, Ferris in the group of boys, and cry harder. The possibility of death pounds closer and closer with every heartbeat. I scream and cry and everything becomes a blur. James's voice booming on the microphone, the footsteps of Peacekeepers marching in to retrieve me, my own cries and screams, the blurred murmurs of the girls I walk past, everything is a blur of color, a blur of sounds, nothing feels real to me now. I hold tightly to the bunny from Granma as I'm dragged along.
I'm shoved forward, still screaming and breaking down. I stumble up the stairs, one by one, slowly up to the stage. James's red eyes bore into my own, and I feel so small and insignificant, which makes my emotions burn like a fire as I try to control my tears, to no avail. I angrily wipe at my eyes as James goes over to the boy's bowl and pulls out a name.
"Kade Fields!" Things start to seem clearer now as I get over the initial horror of having been reaped. A boy steps out from the 17-year-old section, with dark brown hair. He looks pretty average as he goes up the stairs, and James urges the two of us to shake hands before we're both escorted back into the Justice Building.
-Kade Fields, 17- hopefuldreamer1991-
This day brings back horrors.
Fresh memories, fresh nightmares, fresh demons. The day everything turned around for the worst.
I can't stand it, I sit awake in the darkness of the summer night, not sleeping, not even trying. I know that if I try, I'll only fail, wake up with some nightmare screaming and then I'll have woken Sophia. She really doesn't need to be awake right now. She'd try to help, and I appreciate it, but there's really nothing she can do. I sit awake, hugging my knees to my chest and watching an old, half-broken television we were able to acquire. It's absolute garbage, really, but it's a distraction from the thoughts that threaten to destroy me.
The volume doesn't work, but from the views I see on the screen I can tell it's some kind of Capitol special having to do with Victors. They show Gloss Constable first, showing some of the flashbacks from his Games, and then they show… Her. The Victor that I hate more than anything, though I know I shouldn't hate her so much I can't help it. She killed my sister, after. The Victor of the 82nd Games, Niesha Varlett. The girl from 1. She killed Lydia. Lydia, my little sister, was 13 when she was reaped away, and her killer escaped alive. I thought watching something mindless would help, but if I'd known that I'd be getting an update all about my sister's killer I wouldn't have watched.
Tears pour out of my eyes that I try to keep quiet, but it's helpless. Sophia wakes up and comes over to me.
"Kade?" she asks quietly. I try to stop crying. I've had to be so strong, fighting for myself with no help but what I get from Sophia, but every once in a while I break down.
"Sorry," I say quietly, through tears, "Go back to bed…"
She shakes her head, wrapping her arms around me. "No…"
I try to wipe my eyes, going back to the mindlessness of watching them talk about Pit Kensy's baby. I find it interesting that she didn't go with her husband's last name upon being married. Maybe because that's the name everyone knows her by? Or maybe because Pit Hollenbeck-Young isn't as catchy? I'm not sure.
"It's okay," Sophia says quietly, "It's all going to be okay." I bury my face in my knees. I know she'll feel bad if she doesn't make me feel better, but there's really nothing she can do to help. She's done so much, but nothing will ever feel the void left by my sister's death.
"Go to bed," I say quietly, "I'll be fine."
"Kade…"
"Please… Just leave me." She swallows hard and then nods.
"Alright. But… Kade, if you need someone to talk to… I'm here."
"Okay," I say quietly, voice shaking. Sophia lies back down and I watch the Victors flick by. Each one gets clips shown from their Games, the Capitol's favorite scenes. It's probably not healthy to watch, but it's one of those morbid things where once you start, you can't look away. They show our Victors from Nine. Gabriel Yates, who won the 61st Games, is shown first. His Games were fairly tame. After that they show Sunnoria Amaranth, who won the 62nd Games. District 9 is one of the few non-Career Districts to have two Victors in a row. 5 accomplished the same thing. I watch Sunnoria's Games, another pretty tame one compared to other Games past. I sigh quietly, the tears subsiding. I dry my eyes.
Zander Smith from District 10 comes by, they show some flashbacks of the 40th Games. Aleah Meyers, the girl escort, is next, showing clips from the 69th Games. She's still pretty well-liked from how it seems. The District 11 Victors are next. First they show Donavan Osten, who won the 39th Games. His was a particularly bloody year, as they first show his ally from 5 being tortured by the Careers, and then Donavan getting his revenge by blowing them all to bits. Seeing the graphic violence makes my stomach turn as they show Chaff Durant's clips from the 45th Games. I wish I could stop watching but I have nothing else better to do with my time as they show the only living Victor in District 12 to date, Haymitch Abernathy, who looks worse than ever.
Saxon Hastings and Blaine Buchanan appear on the screen after that, their smiling faces chattering about who knows what. I eventually turn the TV off and glance over to Sophia, who still sleeps peacefully. She's really a true friend. She'd been on the streets for a while before I ended up with nothing, and was there to help me learn how to fight for myself.
After Lydia died in the bloodbath of her Games, my mother fell ill from grief. After she passed away, my sister Gabrielle and I were left with nothing. I took her and moved out. I couldn't help her when she fell ill with pneumonia. I wasn't good enough to save her, I didn't work hard enough… I know deep down there was nothing I could do, but it still eats away at me.
After that, I got desperate. I sold my body to get funds. It made me a lot of money, too, but Sophia was always warning me to be careful. It was humiliating, really, I was shunned by all and seen as nothing more but a walking dick. After one night in particular when I got my lights beat out by some sadist, Sophia told me it was time to cut that out. From there I've been juggling as many jobs and ways to make money as possible. My last hope is my pocket watch. If I get desperate, I can still sell it. But I won't do that unless I'm at death's door. This watch is all I have left.
I feel the cold summer breeze and shiver a bit. I look up at the sky, sighing.
What good can I do, as a homeless kid?
When I was first on the streets I remember seeing a rerun of a Games, I can't remember which, where the Victor was a kid that was homeless. "Anything is possible," he said. "Anything can happen," he preached. I always believed it, too, from that day on.
Even so, though, the Games were horrifying to me. When I brought that thought up to Sophia, we decided to start learning combat together. Through our adventures, we worked to improve our self-defense and combat skills. Now, it's hardly any kind of good or proper training. After all, in reality it probably has done nothing to improve anything. I only know how Sophia fights, that's not going to help me with anything. But it's nice to at least pretend to have some kind of security.
I watch the sky, the stars, the moon, until it starts to lighten and the sun begins to rise. It's going to be a long day.
As the dawn goes to morning I doze into a light sleep before quickly waking myself up again to prevent nightmares. I'm absolutely exhausted by the time Sophia wakes up for good around 8.
"Kade," she says, looking sad. I've never asked what happened with her family. By the way she's acted, I've never really thought it was my place. I opened up to her like a book with everything that happened to me, but she's not that kind of person. I know she trusts me and we're good friends, but she's not exactly comfortable being vulnerable. Which is fine, really.
"Morning," I sigh.
"Did you sleep at all? You look like shit."
I sigh quietly. "Not really." I have to be honest with her. "I was too afraid to."
"Kade…" she sighs a bit. "You should've slept. You should sleep."
"But-"
"No buts. You look awful and you're going to need rest for the days to come, no matter what happens."
I sigh, frowning, but I know she's not going to move on that. I lay down on the ground, trying to get comfortable. I feel her hand pat my head gently and know that she's there to help me brave out whatever harsh realities the streets have to offer. I fight my instinct to stay awake, eventually dozing off into an uneasy slumber.
I may be asleep, but I barely rest. When Sophia wakes me up again I feel just as exhausted, just as shitty. "Sorry," I sigh, "But I'm not going to get rest either way. There are too many horrible memories."
"Oh… Alright," she sighs.
"I'm sorry Sophia… I know it's hard to see me like this but…"
"It's fine. I know you can't help it. I just… Feel bad."
"I'll be fine. I survive."
"I know you do," she frowns.
"We'll make it through."
She nods. "You're right, Kade." She tries a tiny, sad smile, which I return, probably sadder than hers.
"We should head out for the reaping," she says quietly. I nod. I don't want to go, but I have to. Hopefully it goes by fast, though I know it won't be the case. Last year's was pure torture from the time I fell asleep into nightmares that night.
I sigh, knowing that she's right. I get up and help her up, and together we walk out to the Square. People are all around, many of them having travelled here from afar. I see plenty of nervous faces, all looking around for some kind of hope, as we go to get our fingers pricked.
"Take care," I tell Sophia, "I'll see you after the reaping."
She gives me a hug. "May the odds be ever in your favor," she says. Hearing those words makes me feel sick.
I nod a bit and go to the section for 17-year-old males, biting my lip.
The reaping begins with the mayor's speech, and a lump starts to form in my throat that I swallow down. Then, the escort, James Rhodes, takes the stage. I feel like I could shit my pants at seeing him. He's terrifying. Seeing Lydia next to him after trying to run and find me was more than I could handle. Seeing how he brushed her off from the second she was reaped made it really sink in that my sister was going into the Games.
He greets us and saunters over to pick a girl's name, and my chest tightens. Every year I'm convinced he's going to pick out a slip of paper and say "Lydia Fields!" Even if the Capitol's forgotten my sister completely, I still haven't.
"Karima Highland!" he says. Nobody comes out from the crowd at first. Nobody even makes a single sound. "Karima? Karima Highland? Come on now, we don't have all day." James looks pointedly at the group of girls, and suddenly we all hear a loud scream and a cry. My heart practically shatters. Soon, after some more screaming and crying, the Peacekeepers break into the crowd, taking a girl with long, black hair up to the stage, who screams and sobs. They throw her at the steps and she takes them very slowly, sobbing as she reaches the stage.
The District is dead silent. My heart is broken, and I scold myself for feeling glad for Sophia's safety. James just looks annoyed as he picks a name from the other bowl.
"Kade Fields!" …Oh no. That's… Me.
I start to the stage, remembering to breathe. The lump in my throat grows bigger and tries to push it's way out, but I don't allow it to break. I don't allow myself to cry, even if I want to. I take the steps up to the stage and my heart rate goes even faster when I see James's demonic eyes looking at me, surveying me, thinking less of me because of where I come from.
I shake hands with my District partner, who is Lydia's age. Then, we're presented one last time and taken back to the Justice Building.
I only get one visitor. Sophia runs in and takes me into a tight hug. I hug her back tightly and the tears start to flow at seeing her cry.
"Kade, please…" she sniffles, "You have to come home!"
"I'm going to fight," I promise her, "I'm going to do my best."
"I need you!" she says. Without me she'll be on her own. Which she's capable of, sure, but I want to be there for her.
"I can win," I say quietly, "It's not unheard of… Anything is possible." She sniffles and looks at me with teary eyes before nodding and burying her face again. I try to control the tears that roll down my cheeks as we hug tightly.
"Never give up," she says.
"I promise I won't."
"Time's up!" calls a Peacekeeper.
"Thank you for everything," I tell her quietly, "You have to keep going no matter what happens to me."
"I love you," she says quietly.
"I love you too."
She's gone. James appears in the doorway, causing me to jump and quickly dry my eyes. He takes me and my District partner to go to the train.
-Karima-
My grandmother visits me first. As soon as she comes, I hug her tightly. I love her so much and will definitely miss her.
"Karima," she says, holding me close.
"Grandma," I sniffle, hugging her and trying not to cry, though failing. "I…" I don't know what to say to her.
"You can do this," she says, sounding very calm, though sad. Leave it to Grandma to keep a cool head. I sniffle and nod. Of course I can… I'm better than all the girls my age, right? Stronger? I could…
"Thank you Grandma. For everything you've done for me," I say quietly.
"Anything for you, my dear." I hold onto her for a bit after that, hugging her tight and knowing that she could be right… I can't let her down by giving up. They call time to be up, and Grandma kisses the top of my head.
"I love you," she says, as she goes peacefully.
"I love you too," I say quietly, trying to control my tears.
Next, my parents come in together. My father says nothing, he just takes me into his arms and holds me there as more tears fight their way out of my eyes. I hug him tightly, not knowing what to say to him. He holds me tightly but his breaths shake.
"Don't give up," whispers Dad, and I nod into his stomach, trying to stop crying.
"I won't," I promise him, and I intend to live by it. He nods and holds me close.
"Karima, you arrogant child," Mom says, looking a bit annoyed. "You can't let your abnormal arrogance destroy you. You have to be smart."
"Yes Mother," I sigh. She's crazy if she thinks I'm arrogant. I only speak the truth after all. My father lets me go to give my mother a brief hug.
"Good luck," she says, though I don't know how much she means it by her tone.
My Dad takes me into one last tight hug. "I love you, Karima," he says quietly.
"I love you too, Dad," I sniffle quietly.
My parents are escorted out.
Ferris is the last to visit, he runs in, crying. "Karima!" he squeaks, taking me into a hug. "I can't believe it!"
"I'll be fine," I try to raise his spirits, but it's hard to hold it together.
"You have to come home," he says, sobbing. "You're part of my schedule, I might not be able to function without you!"
"Ferris, take a deep breath…" but he doesn't, and more tears come to my eyes, just when I was going to stop them. I take him into a hug, wishing he were stronger, stronger like me. I hug him and he cries and I cry, and we don't say anything.
"Time's up!" calls the Peacekeeper.
"You have to come back," Ferris says, hiccupping with tears. I just nod as he's carried away.
Then, I wipe my eyes, sniffling one last time as James comes to get me and my District partner and escorts us out to the train.
There's no going back now, I think, as I watch my home disappear behind us.
A/N: Phew. This chapter was much easier to write. So, I'm back! I have schoolwork and music work galore, but things are starting to clear up. Hopefully as time goes things will be less chaotic. I'm so excited to almost be done with reapings, because that's when the real fun of this story begins (and also when I get to start receiving tributes 42, but that's quite literally a different story)! I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and Natasha and Hope, I hope you enjoyed how I wrote your characters!
So, I finally finished putting up all the mentors and escorts on my blog! So check those out, they're definitely a very dynamic group of characters. I hope you've been liking the brief mentions of the mentors in some of the tribute POVs, but we'll be seeing more of the mentors later. Also, the escorts are all very different and very interesting characters. It's hard to pick a favorite of them!
Chapter Question: Same thing- Submitters, how'd you like how I wrote them? Non submitters, who stood out more, and why?
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