Chapter 2- The Reaping
Marc, today, is up early and gone in the early hours of dawn; he has to get ready the Square and start doing his duty.
"Cassian, wake up! Marc is gone. Today's the Reaping…" I whisper as I crawl on to Cassian's partially-lumpy bed.
"The R-reaping?" Cassian croaks.
"Yes, Cassian! We have to get ready as fast as,"
Cassian interrupts me, "a Capitol bullet train," he says shrilly in Effie Trinket's Capitol accent.
Both of us share a laugh and find four pieces of stale bread left on the table for us. Cassian and I chow down the bread hungrily.
"You know why I like Reaping Day?" I ask Cassian, greedily munching my leftover crumbs.
"Mmmmf."
"Marc always gives us breakfast!"
"Exactly," Cassian replies.
I think he sounds a little too upbeat today.
"Time to get washed and changed. Dress your best."
Both of us make our ways to our bedrooms. As I did mention earlier, we are rich, by District 12 standards! After I get showered (my shower is just a trickling hose, supplying a meagre amount of water. Cassian's is the same) I dress in my spotless white blue dress, decorated with fading wisps of blue and green. It's so beautiful that all I can do is gawp at it. Every year, Markus gets us new clothes, fresh from the Capitol.
When I get to the Square, Cassian is already in the boys section. I fear the part during the Reaping when they have to take my blood sample.
I start shivering when it is my turn. A stern, stiff Peacekeeper sits at the flimsy table and beckons at me to bring out my finger.
"I c-cant…" I say, I'm literally paralysed. I can't even move a finger.
The Peacekeeper grunts and grabs my finger-I lurch forward- and takes a contraption within a few seconds and jabs my finger; pressing it down to the paper. It's over. I survived.
"Thank you."
My hair, tied in a glossy ponytail, captures the light beautifully. Over at the boys' section, Cassan is dressed smartly in a pale blue checkered shirt, ironed-grey pants and his usually messy olive hair is parted-neatly with water.
"You won't get picked. Neither will I." I mouth to Cassian.
He acknowledges it. Although I swear I saw him smile.
The Square is so neat it seems like everyone is rooted to the ground. Official looking lights which are much taller than Cassian are placed at every corner of the Square. A giant screen is now being placed by five Capitol TV crew.
The wooden stage has a microphone on it, and several velvet-draped chairs are placed infront of the Justice Building which bears the Capitol Symbol.
"What a fine day, it is. Good day to all the citizens of District Twelve…" Effie Trinket says cheerfully as she 'click clack's her way on to the stage.
Effie Trinket is dressed in an extremely tight-looking dress decorated exquisitely and expensively with gems and different fabrics. She looks like a fashion disaster. Her hair is outrageously styled; let's just say it looks like a blood red candyfloss wrapped in floral lace. She seems to be Barbie Number…there are so many Barbies I don't even know how many there are…um…infinity, with her makeup, perfectionist nails and her insanely-high heels.
An applause follows Effie's arrival on the stage.
"And Happy 73rd Hunger Games!" she hollers, and throws her heavily-perfumed hands in the air, "Time for our wonderful yearly clip, which I am sure all of you enjoy."
Effie's hand gestures at the huge screen; it suddenly flickers to life. Then, I begin thinking.
How does Effie Trinket's head hold all of that mammoth hair? How does she walk in those heels? Won't her eyelashes fall off one day because of the weight of all the makeup?
"The Capitol," a dull yet manly voice booms as pictures of President Snow relaxing in his mansion appears, "where President Snow is in power of ruling Panem."
The image shifts to rebels of various districts, armed with furniture, hoes, pickaxes, tridents and whatever there were in districts, fighting against Peacekeeper. The rebels are no match for the Peacekeepers, with their electric tazers, pistols and magnificent machetes.
"This video reminds us of the districts in the Dark Days, where all districts rebelling against the Capitol were defeated, and District 13 was destroyed for good." The deep voice commentates.
BOOM! The sound effects of the of the video are so realistic; a bomb heading to District 13 is shown, and all the buildings are instantly smashed into smithereens.
"As a reminder of that fateful year, that the Capitol will always be in power, each year, a boy and girl tribute from each district will be reaped; becoming one of the twenty four tributes to fight to death in the arena."
The video ends and we clap.
"Now for the girl and boy tributes of District 12…as usual, ladies first."
I, Carlo, have entered my name and extra two tomes so that Cassian and I will be able to go to bed with full bellies on each of our birthdays. I daren't enter my name too many times for tesserae because if I get picked, my odds of winning are one to twenty-four. Besides, the only things I'm good at are hiding and scavenging for food!
Effie Trinket's ruby-red nails elegantly touch each piece of paper in the glass-is it crystal?- bowl.
"There are a lot of names this year," Effie says in her silly Capitol accent.
Just get on with it! I shriek in my mind, I don't have all the time in the world!
Cassian stares at me grimly with his green eyes.
I won't get chosen, right? After all, my name's only on three of those slips.
Effie Trinket finally picks a slip, holding it delicately in her superficial han.
The name on the slip was…
Wait. Let me reassure myself.
Probably Katniss Everdeen (she entered her name 102 times) or Ryan Dottely (98).
Ok. Now I'm reassured.
But what if I get chosen?
Be quiet. Be quiet.
The name on the slip was…
"R-" Please let it be Ryan. Ryan. Ryan.
Be quiet.