Dawn was approaching, and Nell Briar was wide awake, laying on the already-made covers of her bed. No one else in the house was up. The time wasn't even 5 o'clock yet. But she couldn't sleep; couldn't go back to sleep. Today was the day of the reaping. An event that Nell has had nightmares about since she was old enough to be subjected to it. In over 3 hours, Nell, and a group of 500 other children were going to be placed in a bowl and fished out to fight for the right for something that they never even owned in the first place. The right of life.
The thought had always pissed Nell off, but she knew better than to detest the ritualistic battle that took place every year. If you spoke out, you wound up dead of peculiar causes. Or even worse, missing. Nell would know, considering her parents died martyrs.
Which led her to be here, on this cold, foggy morning, in her neat bed. Already dressed in the nicest, and only, dress that she owns. The one she wears every reaping. It's been patched and re-patched and stitched and re-stitched many times, but that's one of the only beauties of district 8.
Her anxieties kept pushing up through her, forcing her to think about all the possibilities of today. What if she was reaped? What if her best friend, Merida, the only person she felt like she could trust in this goddamned district, was reaped? Merida has a greater chance of being chosen because of the tessera, something that Nell never had to worry about, not having any biological siblings. Not anymore at least. Every year, Nell reminds herself of the same things: her name was only put in once, while some had their name in tens of times. Although she wouldn't be surprised if it was secretly slipped in more than once. People around here don't pretend to like her.
A soft knock on her bedroom door awoke her from her thoughts. She sat up and watched as her aunt quietly came in through the door, trying not to wake the newborn that was sleeping quietly a few doors down.
"Morning Nell." Aunt Maeve said, giving her a forced smile. They both know what today means. What it means to Nell. Aunt M was sympathetic, but also relieved, and Nell could tell. Her baby didn't have to withstand the tragedies of the reaping yet.
"Already up and at em'?" Maeve asks, crossing her arms. Today was colder than usual, and the furnace hadn't yet been turned on.
"Yep. Is it alright if I head out a little early today?" Nell asks, combing her fingers through the ends of her hair, a nervous tick. Maeve watches her for a moment before giving Nell a look. Something between sadness and nostalgia. But she smiles through it, washing the look off her face as fast as she puts it on. "Of course. Just be safe."
— — — — — — — — — — — — —
Nell tied her black hair back into a braid that fell to the ends of her shoulder blades. She also pulled on her rain boots, even though they were so worn down at this point that they let more rain in then out. But they reminded her of her old family, her old home. So she was keeping them.
The walk to Meridas house was routine. Something that she had done probably every day. The home itself was also usually routine, but not today. The kitchen that was usually bustling with life was quiet and dead on this particular morning. Nell smiled at the orange-headed boy that was sitting at the table, and he bashfully smiled back.
Merida was in her room when Nell approached the door. She didn't bother knocking.
"The green or the red? I feel like the green is more flattering." Merida asks, holding up two dresses of the according colors. "Definitely green."
Merida smiles at her. She sets the dress down and joins Nell on her bed.
"How does it feel knowing that this is your last reaping?" Merida sighs, and falls back on the bed, in better spirits than Nell.
"Just peachy, actually. Maybe I can make it interesting by volunteering. If I don't already get drafted in."
"Don't say that." Nell responds, her tone serious. Merida raises back up and wraps her arms around Nell. "Sorry Nellie. I know today is hard for you."
Nell just sighs. Merida leans back, giving Nell space. A moment goes by before Nell speaks. "How many?"
Merida lets out a short laugh full of breath, followed by a shaky exhale. "64 times."
Nells jaw drops. 64 times? 64 times the name of her best friend is entered into the glass bowl that will choose the fate of someone today. "You can't be serious."
"I am." Merida says as she rubs her neck. Nell sits back against the wall, letting her mind wander. Images race across her eyes of Merida fighting in the arena. She could definitely take out some of the smaller opponents, but Merida was no match for Careers. Images of Merida dying brutally also come too, but Nell whisks them away before she can ponder on them for too long.
Nell thinks about the little red-headed boy in the kitchen, and the two other ginger girls sleeping across the hall who aren't yet old enough for the reaping ceremony. She looks at the girl sitting across from her, absentmindedly fiddling with the covers of her bed and chewing her lip. And realizes that Merida is just as terrified as she is.
— — — — — — — — — — — — —
As the hours of the reaping draw closer, Merida and Nell work their way through town and into the square that has been set up with a stage and a trajectory screen. The girls stay together as they get their blood drawn, and head over to the older section of kids.
Anticipation is rolling down Nell's forearms, making itself known by tiny bumps dancing across her skin. She holds on to Merida's hand and keeps her eyes forward. At the front of the yard, she can see her aunt and uncle holding their newborn baby between them, scanning the place for Nell. Nell shrinks down the best that she can and averts her eyes until the sound of high heels on wood is heard from the front of the stadium.
"Ladies, Gentlemen! Welcome, today, to the reaping of the 99th Hunger Games!" The announcer, a small woman with light pink skin and a dark purple wig, steps back to clap, and the sound reverberates through the square. She awkwardly clears her throat, and steps back up to the podium.
"I wonder how she walks in that." Merida whispers in Nells ear, nodding her head towards the announcer's direction. "Look at that thing." A "thing" was the perfect word to describe the… dress? That decorated the woman's body. It was blue and hard, and seemed to not move. At all. It fluffed out at the bottom, stopping at the knee and hanging off of her shoulder. She looked like she was wearing a dress made of concrete. If she had been here for any other reason besides to send two unfortunate kids to their death, then Nell might have felt sorry for the woman. But she wasn't and so she didn't.
"My name is Vivian Crown, and my role here today is to send one noble boy and girl into the honorable battle that we call the Hunger Games!" Nell and Merida scoff in unison. "Noble Battle".
"Yeah right. As if the people of the capital even remember the names of the kids that are killed." Nell whispers.
"Let's get on with it then!" The woman exclaims, walking to the girl's bowl.
Nell did her best at keeping it composed until now. Her name is in that bowl. Her best friend's name. She squeezed Merida's hand, and Merida squeezed back.
Taking big breaths, Nell keeps chanting to herself: It's not you. As the woman walks to the bowl. It's not you. She says as she reaches her hand in and smiles to the audience. It's not you. As the slip of paper is being pulled out. It's not you. It's not you. It's not you. Vivian unfolds the tiny paper and with a grin full of teeth and gum exclaims,
"Nell Briar!"
Hi :) ! This is my first chapter in my first publication on this website called "The Beauty of Betrayal!"
I'm somewhat new to this website, and to actually posting stories in general, so if anyone has thoughts or comments that they would like to share, please do! I'm all for constructive criticism and would love to know if there is something I need to work on or improve! :)
Also, something that I would like to do for each chapter is to recap all of the characters that were introduced! So far, we have:
Nell: Our main character from district 8 :)! She has medium length hair, and she is 16.
Merida: Nells best friend! She has red hair, and three younger siblings, all under the age of 12. Merida is 17.
Aunt Maeve: Nell's Aunt! She has 1 child, plus Nell.
Vivian Crown: One of the mentors assigned to district 8!
Aaaand that's it! In the next chapter, we're going to meet some past district 8 victors, as well as the male tribute for district 8 ! See you then :) ~bb