Viola Deidre stood by the other girls, waiting for the reaping to begin, she was nervous. This was the third year she stood there waiting anxiously, desperately wishing that it was over. She looked a few groups down at her sister, who was chatting with some friends. She looked completely at ease, like she knew that her name wouldn't get picked.
She was a bit late so the Reaping began soon after she got there. The mayor made a speech about how well District Two always comes out in the battle. Idiots. People are still dying! Viola watched the woman's hand reach into the glass bowl, with a big excited smile on her face, and draw out a name.
She paused for a few seconds after reading the name quietly to herself for dramatic effect, then, "Viola Deidre!" She screamed.
No. No, it can't be. She started walking numbly towards the stage in total disbelief and then she hears her sister, "You can't do this! Let her go! She doesn't deserve this, you sick bastards!" Brynn screams.
Upon hearing her sister, her numbness fades and is replaced by an intense feeling of anger, 'if you're so against it then why don't you volunteer for me?' She thinks. 'I'm going to die, fight for me!' But sadly Brynn does not volunteer and Viola fate is sealed.
When she reached the stage she took her spot in an uncomfortable chair near the back of the stage. She glared down at the crowd, refusing to look weak as she fought the tears that threatened to fall when she as she felt that deep feeling of betrayal when she thought of her sister.
Le Flechazo watched this in awe. She's going to have a hard time, he mused, seeing as how short she is. He watched the guards pull away the screaming girl, they looked to be sisters, but the fact that this girl is not volunteering made him uncertain.
Next thing he knew his body went rigid, seeing the lady's hand go into the bowl for the boy tribute. He watched as her hand groped around for a while before she finally chose a paper. His eyes never left her hand as she lifted the paper to eye level. As she read the name, his heart dropped, "Xcelsiur Cesur!" He was in shock, what were the chances of his name being pulled? He looked over at Katrina, who was sobbing uncontrollably, desperately trying to make her way out of the crowd to Xcelsiur.
'This could not be happening,' he thought as he watched his best friend slowly walk up towards the stage. Xcelsiur had so much to live for, a wife, a baby, a family. But he himself had nothing. He had no parents, no siblings, no real family. With this thought he did the only thing he could think of to make things right, "I volunteer!" he yelled.
[*]
Le had been waiting in the visiting room for at least a half hour wondering if anyone was going to come say goodbye to him. He spent his time pacing back and forth, then sitting for five minutes only to get back up and start pacing again. He was getting angry, and he wanted out of this room.
Just as he was about to start banging on the door, it opened, to his relief, to reveal his best friend and his wife. Katrina's eyes were red and puffy, it was obvious that she had been crying for a while and upon seeing him, she immediately burst out crying again. Le walked over to her and hugged her tight, letting his shirt soak up her tears. After a while, Xcelsiur went over and joined in the hug.
"Thank you." Katrina sobbed into his shirt, "thank you." Le pulled away from the group hug to stare at his two friends, he wasn't sure he'd ever get the chance again. Xcelsiur was holding Katrina, rubbing comforting circles on her back as she cried onto his shoulder. It made him sad that this would be the last image he had of his friends.
"You make sure you make it back," Xcelsiur said, looking up at him.
"Don't worry about it," he replied, "I wouldn't dream of not letting your baby know his own Godfather." He joked, trying to lighten the mood.
"What makes you think it's a boy?" Katrina said, her sobs finally subsiding.
"Oh, you know, I just have a feeling." He smiled down at her. At this point the guards came in, telling Xcelsiur and Katrina that it was time to go. With one final hug, they left together, leaving Le to wonder if he'd ever be seeing either of them again.
Down the hall and to the right, in a small room, was Viola. She sat there waiting impatiently for her parents to come say goodbye.
When they came in, there was lots of hugging and crying. She tried to comfort them as much as she could, telling them that she'd be sure to win, but her parents found no comfort in any of her words. Her father gave her a stone ring that carved with her initials that he had made himself. She immediately put it on, thanking him as she did so. The guards came entirely too soon, not giving them enough time. As they left, her mother turned around and said, "Your sister's here, she came to say good luck."
"No, I don't want to see her, don't let her come in here." Her mother looked at her with tears shining in her eyes, she nodded once then left.
But to Viola's dismay, her sister walked into the room not a minute later. She went to hug Viola, but Viola side-stepped her so the only thing that Brynn was hugging was air. Brynn looked at her desperately silently begging her to forgive her, but Viola stared determinedly at her feet. Brynn burst out sobbing and chocked out, "I'm sorry." Then the guards came in and escorted her out.