One: Reaping Day
It's the day we all celebrate, the day some colorful woman goes to announce which two unfortunates from each of the twelve districts will be entering the Hunger Games this year. But it's different this time; they've upped the stakes by announcing a change in the way the game will be played. Instead of the normal "one boy and one girl between the ages of eighteen" the Capitol has decided to reap siblings.
This will make the reaping days significantly shorter, of course, considering the fact that they'll have to call two names from one piece of paper. I'm lucky to be sitting where I am now; safe in the Capitol. I'll watch the reaping's along with everyone else tonight and gossip about my favorites, who I think will win, all that. This isn't what I want to be doing, but what can one person from the Capitol do to stop this madness?
I was born here, of course, but my parents were born before the rebellion District four now lays. When the rebellion began, my parents quickly left their home behind for the Capitol, for safety and security. My sister was born seven years later and I was born a year after her. It's where I've lived all of my life, but it's never felt completely like home. For the most part, I fit in. I wear the right clothes, the right make-up, and the right wigs. I have ornate tattoo's covering the left side of my body in gold, and a shimmering bronze tone inlaid in my skin. I'm not opposed to the strange fashion here, it's what I've always seen and worn, but the attitudes of the people here can disgust me. This particular Hunger Games- the first Quarter Quell- has shown me that.
They are all so excited to see brothers and sisters attack one another on their plasma screens. I simply can't find it in myself to approve of it. I have a sister myself after all, she's only one year older than me; I can't imagine being forced into an arena where I might have to kill her. Marina is a vapid, beastly Capitolian, but she is my sister.
Marina is who I will watch the Reaping's with tonight. We'll have a party- as we always do- and celebrate this year's tributes. This year our friend Cassius (A hair dresser for District Five's tributes) will be hosting. Cassius is even more vapid than Marina and is almost never satisfied with his tributes. Marina and I also work with the tributes every year. Marina designs for District Three. She says it gets old since there's only so much you can do with old wiring. I work on the prep team for District Seven. Most years I try not to pay much attention to the tributes I work with since they're more likely to die than survive. Last year our girl lasted until the final eight, but the District two girl found her asleep and slit her throat. She ended up winning.
Tonight is no different. I'll simply watch the reaping's as I always have, trying to ignore the hole in my heart that's been growing since I started this job. Knowing the tributes is much different than simply watching them on TV.
"Nerissa!" Marina calls to me from the sofa. "Caesar's on!"
I set myself beside her and watch the familiar face of Caesar Flickerman light up on the screen. His eyebrows are dyed a ghastly yellow and his hair is white as snow, his suit sparkles like starlight and every single one of his teeth is perfectly shaped to fit together in his signature smile.
"Well, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Capitol, we are back for another Hunger Games!" The room fills with cheers as does the stadium where Flickerman stands. "This year there's been a little change though, I'm sure you all know it- This year is our first Quarter Quell. Exciting isn't it? This year marks twenty five years of the Hunger Games, can you believe that? Twenty Five! I for one couldn't be more excited, because the President has announced that instead of the same old boy and girl tributes that we always have, this year our tributes will be siblings from the districts. Yes, siblings. Well, without further ado I give you the reaping's of the 25th annual Hunger Games!"
District one is always boring to watch. There are five sets of siblings ready to volunteer for the games. In the end two sisters- twins actually- are chosen, by the names of Glory and Sapphire. District two is the same. A brother and sister volunteer immediately, Nathaniel and Bethany. District three is just as un- entertaining, but Marina is on her tip toes dancing with anticipation as another brother and sister are reaped, Marcel and Genevra.
"Oh she's so pretty!" Marina squeals clapping her hands.
"So lucky, I bet mine are complete boars." Cassius sneers.
District Four's tributes are two brothers who volunteered for a younger pair of siblings who were reaped initially, Arrow and Mace. District five comes and Cassius groans before the pair is even reaped. A young pair of sisters is chosen Ursula and Sybill.
"Oh wonderful, two babies- why should I even bother!" Cassius says rolling his eyes and flicking a piece of perfectly straight black hair over his shoulder.
District six is another pair of brothers, spindly, read headed kids named Boris and Milo. Then comes District seven. My heart picks up speed as the event coordinator-Desdemona Parsnip- delicately fishes out this year's tributes. She opens the paper and clears her throat, smiling as she announces "Lennox and Horatio Thisbe!" Two figures weave their way through the crowd. A tall boy with chestnut hair, the same as the bark of the trees that surround the small town and his young sister- with hair like gold- possibly the youngest they've called yet.
I watch, trying not to feel the tightening my chest feels when I see the little girl next to him. Desdemona smiles and asks which is which. The girl says she's Lennox in the smallest voice I've ever heard, tears rushing down her face. The boy says his name- Horatio- through tight lips, his eyes void of emotion and Desdemona leads them into the Mayor's house.
Cassius smirks behind me "Looks like I'm not the worst off." I can't bring myself to look back at him, because I know if I do my face will betray that I already care too much about my tributes.
District eights tributes are two brutal looking brothers Gnash and Rip. District nine's tributes are another pair of twins, brother and sister Skye and Faith. The kids from district ten are a brother and sister who look worse off than Cassisus' tributes named Nym and Soth. District eleven pulls two tall, Amazonian looking sisters named Vee and Pia. District twelve's tributes are a small boy and his waifish sister, Rorick and Sade.
The Reaping's conclude then with Caesar's final comments, but I don't hear any of them. All I can think about is the fact that I'm going to meet that beautiful, small girl named Lenox tomorrow- and I'm probably going to have to watch her die.