The Reaping of District 4: Kristian Lurx

Today is the first Reaping. The first Hunger Games. The first day of someone dieing.

I walk around my house, not sure what I'm actually doing. Well, it's not really house. More of like a little shack. There is two bedrooms, one for Mom and Dad, the other is mine. Then a small living room with a very tiny T.V., which is rarely used. Then, a small little kitchen with a small old fashioned stove. And then that's it. We don't even have a door. Just a hole in the wall with hinges falling off. We usually put a small blanket there when winter comes along. But it doesn't help at all.

"Good morning," Mom says to me. I smile politely and sit down at the table, waiting for something tasty to appear. "Ready for today?"

"Sure," I answer in a neutral tone. No one is ready for today. Not even Mom, who is usually ready for a storm that will come for us in only a few hours.

"You know that the changes of being picked are very slim, right?" Mom asks. I nod absently.

"I bet every other mother is saying that to their children right now," I reply. Mom shakes her head, but nods, knowing my statement is true. "I should head off into town. Wish everyone a happy Reapings day."

"While your out, do you mind getting a few flowers?" Mom asks. I cock my head.

"Why do you need flowers? They will just die right away."

"Because, it will soon be the anniversary of Angel's death. I want to make sure the little house in the middle of nowhere is decorated in her honor." I nod my head and start out the door.

It's warm outside. But not summer warm. More like the end of spring warm. The flowers are still blooming, red and purple and white. The clouds still watch over us in the sky, usually taking away the precious sun from us. The grass is becoming greener, and people trade in their heavy jackets and blue jeans for long sleeve shirts and short shorts and skirts. My younger sister, Angel, use to love to dress in skirts during summer time. It was her favorite season.

You see, my little sister was everything to me. She had blond curly hair that just reached her back. It was always up in a ponytail. She had grey eyes, like I do, and she was small. Angel was the boniest of us. And that's what led her to the mysterious illness that killed her almost five years ago. I miss her so, but sometimes I am happy she isn't here now. I don't want to see her walk up to that stage and join the Hunger Games, the Capitol's new game that had kids from each District fight to the death. I don't know how I would live with myself if my sister died in that horrible game.

I walk to the small meadow that surrounds our shack. I pick some red and purple flowers and make them into a bouquet. My messy grayish hair hangs in my face while I do this. I take one of the flowers and put the stem in my mouth, letting the flower part hang off to the side, and the other end hang off to the side too. I laugh at myself, remembering when I use to do that to Angel when giving her a flower.

I take out a knife and throw it at a squirrel that scurries past me. He is fast, but my reflexes are faster. I throw it and it hit's the squirrel in the leg, not piercing the body at all. I go to retrieve it and walk back to my house.

I'm a pretty good hunter. I usually go fishing and hunt animals outside of the boundary areas. It's illegal, but it keeps Mom and Dad alive. But I remember last winter when there was no food what so ever. The Capitol kept the goods to themselves while we starved.

Later, I walk up to Town Square. The mayor is already standing onstage with a great smile plastered on his face. He smiles at the Capitol people who sit front row on the left. The Square is soon crowded and I walk towards my age group, which is fifteen. I am dressed in a black tuxedo with my hair hanging in my face, like it always does. My shoes are shined and sparkle in the sunlight, that occasionally gets taken up by clouds.

Soon the anthem plays. We all stay silent, and when it ends, we all mutter to each other, wondering what will happen next. The mayor clears his throat and goes on and on about the horrible tragedy with District 13, then goes on to talk about how wrong rebellion is, and we brought this on ourselves. We all stand there, letting the lecture go through one ear, and out the other. Then a funny looking man marches onstage. He looks to be happy, but the smile looks too real.

"My name is Antonio! I will be the mentor of the 1st Hunger Games," He announces. "And this lovely lady over here is Carly. She will be the escort."

"I will choose the boy!" Carly says in a hyper voice. She reaches into the jar and clears her throat, loudly. "Kristian Lurx!"

The world stopped spinning.

The Reaping of District 4: Teagan Willow

I wake up to the sun shinning brightly in my room. Finally, it's the day I have been waiting for. The Reaping day. The day where a boy and girl get picked to go into the Hunger Games, I fight to the death game. And I'm positive I can win. I have been training since the destruction of District 13. I'm good with a bow, arrow, and knifes. I'm good at running, swimming, and climbing, too. The Games will be so easy.

I walk to my closet and put on a purple dress for today. My red hair gets brushed out and I tug it snuggly behind my ears. I smile at the mirror, but then hear yelling. I sigh, it's my parents again. They fight all the time and barely ever acknowledge me when I walk into the room. The don't love me at all.

I walk outside and start for the Town Square. By the time I get there, it's so crowded. But I'm use to it because my house is so small. All we have it two bedrooms and a small kitchen and a medium sized living room. A small T.V. takes up the corner, but we always have rolling blackouts, so it barely works.

I go into my age group, fifteen, and stand next to a guy in a black tuxedo. His hair is all over in his face and I stand there quietly. People shove past us, barely noticing me. I'm super skinny with beautiful green eyes. I'm normal height, but not as tall as the guy who stands next to me.

A women named Carly is onstage, along with a guy named Antonio. They greet us, and then start the Reaping. They call out a Kristian Lurx, and to my surprise, the guy next to me sighs and walks onstage.

"And how old are you?" Carly asks.

"Um, fifteen," Kristian answers. Carly nods and motions for him to take a seat.

"And now for the girl!" Antonio exclaims. He pulls out a slip of paper from the small jar and takes a deep breath.

"Danielle Edwards," He says. I look to my parents, who must be relieved that I wasn't picked. The shake their heads and I let a few tears escape from my eyes.

"I want to volunteer!" I shout, waving my hand in the air like some type of freak. I run for the stage and throw my head up in confidence.

"And what is you name?" Antonio asks.

"Teagan Willow."

Author's Note:

I don't own the Hunger Games.

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