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Chapter 4: District 6, 7, and 8 Reapings

District 6 Reaping

Rose walked up to the center of the town were the reapings would be held. She, being the oldest of 19 children, had the tough job of guiding them to where they needed to be. She dumped 11 of the younger ones, the ones who were unable to participate in the games, with her friend's mom, who was sure to take care of them for the time being. Then she led the others to their designated spot. She hated to admit it, but she secretly hoped that one of her siblings would get reaped, just so she would have one less mouth to feed. She snorted as she imagined one of them in there,they wouldn't last more than a minute, seeing how dense they were.

"You're late." Said her best friend, MaryJo Wanna. She just looked at her, telling her to shut up with her eyes.

The mayor said his boring speech and then the names were beginning to be called. "The lucky lady is..." Violet, Marabeth, Susan, Jamie, Vivian, Elizabeth, any of them! Please! Get rid of them! "...Rose Harlot!"

Donkey balls.

She walked up to the stage. Rolling her eyes. I'm gonna win this, like no big deal. Then I'll be rich. And my siblings can suck it. It being what? Poop? I don't care. They can suck whatever they like as long as it's bad.

[*]

She sat in a little room waiting for someone, anyone to come say goodbye to her, but it looked as though she wasn't as popular as she thought. In other words, no one showed up. That is until MaryJo burst through the door.

"Took you long enough." She spat at her friend.

MaryJo narrowed her eyes, "You're lucky I came at all." Hearing this Rose's eyes began to fill with water.

"You really might not have come?"

"No, no, of course I would've come." She said as she leaned down and kissed Rose. The kiss lasted a few minutes. Then MaryJo walked out the door saying, "That's the first, best, and last kiss you'll ever get. Have a happy death."

District 7

Elysia Summers walked out of her house into the town, the only clearing of trees in the forest, towards the reaping.

She had entered her name in more than once this year so that they could have some more supplies. They being her and her 24 year old brother, Hale. She looked at the people around her and started to worry a bit. She didn't like having to put her name in more than once but her family needed the extra supplies and her brother couldn't supply them. It was a risk she had to take. It seems almost impossible to survive in Panem.

When she got to the center of town she looked around for Damen, her best friend. He was by the boys, waiting to be reaped. He waved to her and she waved back, a sad smile on her face. She knew he had also entered his name more than once. She hoped he wouldn't be reaped, she didn't think she could stay sane without him. Then the mayor stepped up to the podium, cleared his throat, and everyone stood and looked at him. He said a boring speech about how every year they were getting closer and closer to being the winning district, then the whole town would love the winner.

Then a lady with orange skin walked up to the stage with two bowls. In those bowls were Ella and Damon's fates written on little white strips. Ella's breath caught and then before her breath came back, her name was called. Not by a normal person, but by a lady with orange skin. She felt someone push her back and she tripped forward. Then she started to walk forward, but she felt someone grab her arm and try to pull her back.

She looked into the face of Damon, sad and unprepared to let her go. But a guard took out his gun and hit Damon's arm and he was forced to let go. Then she was on the stage. Some boy was called but she wasn't listening. Some Scott Kissler? Kessler? Keeper? She didn't know. She just wanted to be saved from her fate.

[*]

When Ella stepped into the room she heard banging and then the door banged open to show her brother and best friend.

"This wasn't supposed to happen. You didn't have to put your name in more!" Hale yelled. Then realizing he was yelling calmed down and sat down next to her.

Damon was pacing around looking at the windows. "What are you doing?"

"I'm gonna get you out. Do you have sharp nails? You could get these screws out not problem." Damon said.

"I can't do that. I just have to win. I have the brains and brawn. I can fight." Ella said confidently.

"You do that. District Seven will be rooting for you." Hale said.

District Eight

Baro woke up late the day of the Reaping. His father came bursting into his room, screaming at the top of his lungs for him to get up, "Just one more minute." He heard himself mumble as he turned over. His father wasn't to pleased with his laziness, and just yelled in exasperation before leaving the room.

He sighed happily as he buried his head deeper into his blankets, enjoying the peacefulness that lethargy brings. His moment of peace was cut short though, for his father decided at that moment to explode into the room and tear off his blankets, then dump a bucket of frigid cold water onto his bare chest.

"Holy mother of God! What the hell's wrong with you!" He yelled.

"Get up. Now." Was his father's short reply.

"Yeah, yeah, I'll be ready in a minute." He said as he glared at his father.

Ten minutes later, he was walking out of the house, apple in in one hand the the hand of his little sister in the other.

"Are you nervous?" His younger brother asked.

"Naw, not really." He lied as he took a humongous bite from his apple, he was always nervous on reaping day.

When they reached the center of the town, where the reapings were being held, he let go of his sister's hand and told her to wait with their father, then he made his way over to where all the other 18 year old boys were.

As he stood there waiting, he felt a tap on his shoulder and turned around to see his girlfriend smiling at him, "Good luck Bitemark," she said as he rolled his eyes at his childhood nickname, "And may the odds be ever in your favor." She laughed then said goodbye.

Then the reaping began.

The mayor waltzed onto stage, wearing her best dress and smiled at the crowd. She had nothing to worry about, she had no kids. She talked and talked about the honor it was for district eight to sacrifice two of the children each year, and how thrilled she was sure everyone would be if they had a victor this year.

Then the escort came on stage, with his big smile and bright blue hair with orange tips, and basically repeated everything that the mayor had said.

"Well then," he shouted into the mike, "It's time for us to pick our tributes, yes?" He said as he slowly made his way towards the two big bowls containing the names of every eligible child in the district. "Lets see, last year I believe it was lady's first? How about we choose our male tribute first this year?" He looked at the town expectantly, like he was thinking there would be some sort of reply, but everyone was completely silent. This didn't faze him at all though, he just twirled around and dramatically inserted his arm into the bowl. Slowly, he rotated his arm around and around, trying to create some sort of suspense. Then his arm froze and he flung his hand into the air and smiled brightly as though this was an extremely difficult task that he miraculously completed. He raised the mike to his mouth and yelled, "Baro Hewson."

His entire body froze, this could not be happening was his only thought. He calmly made his way towards the stage, trying desperately to show no emotion as he passed his fellow peers from district eight. When he made it to the stage, his escort gave him a heavy pat on the back and steered him to the back of the stage where his was to wait for the other tribute.

[*]

Two buff guards led him through the maze of hallways of the town hall. He was roughly pushed into one of the rooms and was told to sit there and wait. Not two minutes later, his father and two younger siblings stumbled into the room, their faces were red and their eyes were swollen. They had obviously been crying.

He stood up and calmly walked over to them. He hugged both of his siblings and whispered in their ears how much he loved them.

"I'll win." He assured them, " I'll win for you."

Then he looked up at his father, they hadn't been on the best of terms for a while now, since his mother died. But it was his father, and he had to say goodbye. They shook hands, his father wasn't really the hugging type and said farewell.

He gave his little brother and sister one last hug and reminded them of his love, then it was time for them to go. Just as they were walking out the door, his father turned around and whispered, "Win. Please?"

He never saw any of them again.

[*]

Velyndra Finn walked out of her house with a stomach of butterflies. She hated the reapings, but would admit that having to watch the people suffer was even worse. She didn't want to be out here, didn't want to watch people suffer, and most of all, didn't want to be called. She wanted to be home, sketching new designs. She thought of herself as lucky, being in the district that matched her passion. But she wanted to do more then make the fabrics, she wanted to make the designs to go with it, then put it all together and have someone look amazing at her hands. And she was great at it too, which was a plus.

She walked to the town square wearing the bracelet her brother had made her out of textiles. It was her favorite item of jewlery she owned, not that she owned many. She and her brother were on the poor side but they were happy. They had love and that was what they needed. She saw her best friend, and crush, Thrall, and went to say hi, but before she could, the mayor got on stage and everyone ran into place.

Madame Mayor said some stuff then a man with audacious hair said the same thing, all routine. Then they called the boys first and then came the girls. Lyn closed her eyes and then heard, "Velyndra Finn!".

"NO!" She heard coming from Thrall. She opened her eyes and walked bravely to the stage. She could do this. She knew she could. Just had to do her best and forget the rest.

[*]

Venita walked into the room, took a deep breath and then Thrall came in and her brother right behind him.

"Don't freak, I can handle this." Lyn said.

"Oh, sure, 23 people. You can kill 23 people?" Thrall said angrily.

"Well, other people are going to kill too. I just don't want to think about that now. Just hug me." Lyn said, fighting back tears.

Both men rushed to her side and she hugged them until the guards forced them to leave. She took a breath and decided that she was going to be brave for district eight.