Thank you to CrayolaCreation for Rye and Apollo's Slytherpuff Daughter for Daisy! I hope you enjoy this chapter ^.^
Rye Miller, 18
District Eleven Male
The Capitol is literal shit. I know they want me and anyone related to me dead, and I'm aware they'll do anything to achieve this goal. Which is precisely the reason why today, I'm almost certain I'm going to be reaped. My sister, who had just turned 12 a few months ago, is finally of the right age. I'm 18, she's 12, and this is the only year we can be pitted against each other.
To make matters worse, we don't even live in the same District, so they can make it seem accidental. I mean, if we lived in the same place, if sibling tributes were to be reaped their District would probably rebel. However, since they're different, it might not even happen.
You see, when I was 12 my father taught me how to hunt in order to support my family. Back in District 9, where I used to live, hunting was illegal, and so although we tried to keep under the Peacekeeper's noses they caught us.
I remember the material of the whip slashing across my father's body, causing deep, bloody marks all over his skin. His screams, his pleads… They're still engraved into my memory like no one will ever believe.
My father and I were then exiled to District 11, while my mother and my sister, Ceres, stayed in District 9. They could have always killed me, killed Father… Instead, they had to torture him and then separate us from our loved ones. Forever.
I blink in and out of sleep, images of the sights I experienced my father going through plaguing me whenever I close my eyes. If it's this bad for me, how bad must it be for him? I remember, after his whole back was covered with nothing but crimson, how his begging stopped and there was nothing to be heard but the cracking of the whip and silence. Even the crowd who experienced it became quiet.
Why can't I just take a memory potion, one of the ones in the stories that can erase your memory in one quick gulp? I need to forget the public whipping, about Ceres, and be able to move on from the life I've been stolen from.
It really is too bad that that's easier said than done, huh? I love my sister. She's the thing I treasure most in this world, and she was just… Taken away. Actually, I was taken away, but still.
I roll over in the bed, itching at my leg where the coarse blanket rubbed on me all night. I might as well get ready for the Reaping, and I know exactly what I'm going to do.
I pull open the drawer, deliberately looking for something that would suit… Yes. A green shirt and brown trousers, both with various stains on them from field work. Deliberately chosen to annoy the Capitol as much as possible, and to show that I don't care about the Games or them. I quickly change and head out of my room to the living room, where my father is sitting. I sit beside him and smile at him politely. "Good morning," I say, but he doesn't respond.
This is typical. Ever since we were moved to District 11, he hasn't been very responsive. I tap his shoulder and stand back up, wiping at my eyes in the process. "It's the Reaping today. We probably need to get going, because we're kind of late." I hadn't been able to wake up as early as I wanted, and even if I did I would have just used it to have more time to think. The word "reaping" caught my father's attention and he looks up, alarm in his eyes.
"You're going out like that?" He asked. I nod my head, grinning.
"It's to show that I don't care for the Capitol's oppression." I say.
My father shrugs. "I guess I can't really stop you. Here, you should let me go change before we leave." I nod, and he walks away into the bathroom. After waiting for about five minutes, he emerges again wearing a black T-shirt and jeans. It looked weird on him, his being older and all, but I could tell that he meant his outfit in a way similar to what I did on mine. I smile, and wordlessly we both walk out of the house.
I turn around and see the small, brown cube with a flimsy roof attached that could barely hold out the rain. The place that I've been forced to call home for 4 years, the place that after today I most likely will never see again. I'm not going to miss it much, quite honestly. I turn to my father, who once again has a stony expression on his face. He looks at me and smiles. "Hey. At least this is your last year being eligible," he says.
I shake my head and glower. "It's Ceres' first year though." Realization dawns on his face and he chuckles nervously, breaking eye contact with me.
"Oh." He says simply. "I know how much you care about her."
"Yeah," I reply absentmindedly, and continue on the walk to the Square. Too bad we live far out, way in the outer reaches of the District. I want to get there quickly, and just get this over with. Too bad we never got what we wished for under Claus, the president who was in power for about 50 years after Coriolanus' death. Hopefully Caroline would loosen down on us, give us more mercy, but it really is too bad because that isn't going to happen. If she did, some extremist in the Capitol will assassinate her, and they'll "elect" a new bloodline to be president. They'll probably be stricter than even Coriolanus, and then the Districts would rebel.
The Districts have never rebelled in 150 years, and the only time we've gotten close is in the 74th Games, when that District 12 girl tried to shoot those Gamemakers. After the Games it was released to the public. It really is too bad that she hadn't paid enough attention to their surroundings, because BOOM, Cato emerged from the cornucopia and beheaded her in the finale.
I wish that she'd won. Maybe then we would no longer be living in the world we live in today.
Daisy Fowl, 13
District Eleven Female
I sit up in the flat, coarse bed, slight smile on my face. I just dreamed of lying in face-first in fluffy clouds, with a warm light bathing me in happiness… It was amazing. The clock in the other room chimed '12', and even though I know that the Reaping should be beginning, the bed is so comfortable. Even if it is flat and coarse, it's much better than dozing off in the midst of burning heat. I roll over and try to fall back asleep, but then my father, Will, has to walk in and ruin everything.
"How many times have I told you, Daisy? Wake up!" He yells. I choose to ignore him and bury my face into my pillow instead. He stalks over and grabs me by my arms, hoisting me up and out of bed. "I'm not ruining my reputation any further because you can't wake up to go to the Reaping! Now get up, change, and get going!" He softly drops me on the ground and I curl up into a ball, muttering incomprehensible words. I just want to relax, instead of leaving the house. I want to be in my own imaginary world that I've created, not in reality. I shake my head and stand up, deciding that I might as well do something for once in my life. I walk over to my closet, pulling out the first two garments I see – A gray shirt and a black skirt, and put on some nice, black shoes, and quickly change. Great, now I can think again.
I lay back down, but I'm not being transported towards that world. Instead, my vision turns dark and I gasp, covering my eyes. No, no, no!
I see my mother happily smiling at me when I was younger. Me and her working together in the fields, the only two people with any enthusiasm. Mom and I cooking a meal for Will together. The visions begin to have a vignette frame, and I hold back tears as I see my mom getting diagnosed with cancer. Her laying in my father's bed, with heavy breaths, and yellowed skin. Her rasping out her last words to me, those words of "I love you". Her breathing slowly ceasing, becoming quieter and quieter until it wasn't there at all.
I'm shook awake again. "Daisy, seriously! We're leaving now!" I open my eyes and sigh, following my father's lead out of the house. The Reaping is always depressing, so I think I'm just going to sleep during them.
On the way there, my brother, Oliver, runs out of one of his friends' houses. Oliver is such a brat. He literally cares for no one but himself, and does nothing but stuff his mouth with food all day. Too bad he's only 7 and can't be reaped for the Games.
The Games? They're starting? I completely forgot about them! How dare I think that my own brother should be reaped? The check-in table approaches, and I gulp. Having your finger stabbed with a needle really hurts. "Next!" The Peacekeeper barks, and I shakily step forward. He harshly sticks my finger and waves me away. I happily oblige and find myself walking towards the 12-year old section. Oops, did I manage to forget my own age? Silly me. I end up being one of the last people in the 13-year old sector, and slowly begin to doze off just as the silly escort in all black walks onto the stage. Wait! What about the mayor? I must have not been paying attention, I think with a slight laugh.
Some people look at me strangely, and I close my eyes trying to reincarnate the dream as it happened. Clouds… Fluffy clouds…
I feel a strong hand shaking my shoulder, and the eyes of a girl I don't know staring into mine. "What?" I ask, and I hear the escort's deep voice blast around the Square again. "Daisy Fowl! Where are you?" I blink several times and stumble onto the stage, still thinking about the clouds. When I finally reach the stage, I look around at everyone in disdain. It's too loud, why is there so much yelling? I hear the escort say something again, and didn't catch the name. I pinch myself, trying to stay awake, and watch as a tall, handsome guy emerges from the 18-year old section. He looks very angry, and glares at the ground as he walks onto the stage. What did the ground ever do to him? When he reaches the stage, he glares at the escort, who chooses to ignore him. I don't like him already, he seems scary.
"Panem, your tributes from District 11, Daisy Fowl and Rye Miller! Shake hands!" He extends his hand out to shake mine, and I only remember to do so when Rye shakes his head. Oh, we're supposed to shake hands? I shake his hand and then we're hauled away toward the Justice Building.
Only a few moments after I enter, my father comes in, looking alarmed. Oliver smirks, making rude gestures at me behind Will's back. I ignore them, knowing they mean nothing, and smile at Will. "Hey."
He shakes his head and hugs me, then releases me and stares at my eyes. "You can live through this. Daisy, I can't bear to… Lose you, too. I'm sorry if I've seemed selfish, and rude," tears are streaming out of his eyes now, "I'm sorry. I wish I've been a better father to you."
I nod. "Okay. You were a good father. I just wish I had a good brother." Will looks behind him to see Oliver with his middle finger extended at me, and makes a double take.
"Oliver! Where did you learn that?" He yells, and Oliver shrugs.
"School. I do them at the teachers all the time when they're not paying attention." Oliver says, and before the argument can begin both my brother and my father are taken out of the room.
Why was I chosen for this? Why me? There's no way I'd stand a chance. I'm going to live the rest of my living days in my imagination.
Ok, I know this isn't the greatest chapter and all, as I had to go wordy to try and reach my word limit (I go 1000 or more per POV), and I think after I put it into ffn and then edited it a bit, it came out short. Oh well, at least I finally have something to show! For 10 days of absence! I'm such a procrastinator...
So, yeah. I have no excuses about being inactive, I just... Was. I do have excuses but I'm sure no one wants to hear them, and I'm sure you don't care much anyway.
I'm not doing an alternate POV until I feel like it's needed. Probably District 4 Reapings... But then again, you probably don't care xD Why am I even talking about this?
For those of you who read last chapter, saw my link for my blog wasn't working and didn't feel like going to my profile, the link for the blog is
: / / flowersnowgirl . wix isitworthit - hg
(and if it didn't work again, seriously. Just look at my bio, or just don't look at all.)
Only three more Reapings... I want them to end. Maybe I should write them quicker so they go away. That's not a bad idea, instead of procrastinating I can go right to the interesting stuff...!
VeneratedArt: It's fine! Seriously.
Mystical Pine Forest: Here, let me give you a medal of honor for your amazing job at reviewing :) Jk, it's fine. I just want to know that people are reading.
heavydirtysoul: Yes! To(how do you do that slash on a computer)p is amazing... It's not my favorite though. I like P!aTD. And thannnk youuu for always reviewing! *continues smirking*
david12341: You said D12 and I got confused (lol) maybe I'll check them out sometime? It's not my favorite genre, but I'm always open to suggestions... Also, thanks for our always detailed reviewing.. !
Questions:
1) Which tribute did you like better?
2) Which do you think will live longer?
3) Grammatical errors?
4) Seriously, though... How important is music in your life?
Thanks for reading, and if you've deemed it important enough to read this bottom section, please review! Seriously, they make me happy.