CHAPTER 10: Reaping Day
"Tomorrow's the day!" Marianne squealed. Cressida nodded smiling. "Oh my gosh! I hope some cute tributes get reaped this year!" Cressida nodded again.
"You do realize that they're our age, right?" she asked over her Advanced photoshop book she was shamelessly reading in Mr. Vainer's class. The day before Reaping Day was guaranteed to be a zero content day. The Smith twins were helping Mr. Smith in the shop. Cressida had begged Tom to write her an absence excuse that her parents could sign, but Tom wouldn't have it.
"Well yeah! They're cute at our age! Wouldn't you be so thrilled if Pollux was a tribute!"
"NO! I mean- Two weeks where he could be Panem knows where without me?" Cressida stammered. Her blood ran cold thinking of her boyfriend in the arena.
"But if he was a Victor, he'd be so famous!" Marianne gushed.
"And if he lost he'd be so dead." Cressida snapped. Marianne sighed and went to a cluster of girls using their palm computers to buy dresses for their HG parties. Cressida sighed. Though the event was several months ago, memories of Wiress being retraumatized over reminders of last year's games were fresh in Cressida's head. Because of that, there was no way she could be excited about the Games ever again.
"So, Cressida, I presume you're helping your parents during the Games?" Mr. Vainer asked coming over to her.
"Yes." Cressida said smiling. "I'll be doing video and picture editing! I've been learning a lot - that's why I don't mind reading my book during my free periods." She found she didn't have to put on a cheery act to be happy about discussing photography.
"Very good." Mr. Vainer said smiling. Marianne beckoned Cressida over once Mr. Vainer moved on to another cluster of students. Cressida smiled at her friend. Her bad mood had dissipated and she was able to join them in their discussion.
Cressida sat down to a dinner with both parents and Tom. They had hired an Avox to cater their dinner as they were between parties. "Cressida, honey, I'm absolutely excited that you can join us in the evenings!" Mrs. Wilson gushed. "Now - you won't be able to see the tributes, but you'll be documenting the parties, so you won't miss all the fun!"
"Thanks, Mom." Cressida said smiling. Her mother took another sip of her martini. Cressida looked at her parents and smiled. Even though eating as a family was an extremely rare event, they still managed to make the most of it.
"Cressida?" Her dad asked. "Look - I - ah - I know - I haven't spoken to you very much about this - but - ah - after this year - you can go to filming and photojournalism academy." Cressida's jaw dropped. "They like your work. I've sent them samples."
"I - thanks - dad!" Cressida said smiling.
"Tom's all set, so you should be too!" Mrs. Wilson said hugging her daughter. Cressida smiled. She couldn't wait to tell the Smiths the news. "You'll contribute so much to the lovely wonderful Capital of Panem!" She squealed.
"Thanks, Mom." Cressida said laughing. Her parents spent the rest of the evening talking about the upcoming parties. Cressida looked at Tom who was across from her at the table. She knew her parents had no idea that they were part of the rebellion. A part of her felt like she was betraying them, but another part of her hoped that if the rebellion succeeded, her parents would be no longer be caught up in the frivolousness of the culture and finally be able to concentrate on being parents and doing things that truly mattered.
Cressida groaned when Tom knocked on her door. Yanking the covers over her head, she attempted to play too tired or ill to go to school. "CRESSIDA!" Tom called. "C'mon, you can't ditch!"
"We're not going to do anything useful in school today, so why bother?" Cressida groaned.
"Because! It's the most significant cultural event of Panem, Geez, Cress! Don't you pay attention in History and Society class?" Cressida smiled through her groan. She could detect the sarcasm in Tom's voice. "Look, it's either me getting you up or the Peacekeepers dragging you to school!"
"I'm up!" Cressida called before groaning and jumping out of bed and opening her door.
"Too late. I ate your doughnut." Tom said standing in the doorway munching on a chocolate glazed doughnut.
"TOM!" Tom laughed as Cressida chased him into the dining room.
"I gotta work today, sis. Interns only get to watch the recaps." Tom explained. "See you this evening, ok?"
"Ok." Cressida said before they hugged. "Bring back a doughnut! You owe me now!" Tom laughed as he closed the door. She shook her head and opened the fridge. Inside was a glazed doughnut with jelly filling. A note read: Fooled ya! Love you sis, you can make it through today! - Tom Cressida burst out laughing before eating her breakfast.
When Cressida and the Twins got to school, it was utter pandamonium. Their classmates were cheering and hugging each other while showing off their outfits. At the sound of the bell, the teachers ushered them into the auditorium. Most of Cressida's female classmates flirted with the peacekeepers who checked them in. Cressida sat with the Twins as they were filed into the fourteen year old class's assigned section. The student body stood and sang the national anthem before the first reapings were broadcast on a large screen on the stage.
The twins and Cressida passed notes for most of the morning while their classmates began betting on tributes as they were reaped. Cressida slumped in her chair as District four's reaping came to a close. Eight more to go. She thought. Pollux squeezed her hand. She pulled out a notepad and wrote a note to Pollux. I'm so bored, but I'm glad I can be bored with you. Pollux laughed and kissed her on the cheek.
"Gross, guys!" Castor groaned. "You two always forget I'm right here when you get sappy!"
"Whatever, big bro!" Pollux retorted before the reapings for District 5 started.
"TYLER!" a girl wailed as the male tribute was called. "NO! DON'T GO! I NEED YOU!" The frantic girl pushed her way through the crowd. A peacekeeper held her back. The twins and Cressida sat up and stared at the screen. Much of the chattering stopped as something exciting in a non-career district was unfolding live.
"You'll be ok, little sis." The boy said with confidence. "I promise." His sister wasn't asuaged.
"Don't take my brother! Please! He's the only family I have! Don't take him!" Though the girl was barely five feet tall, it took two peacekeepers to carry her away from the stage. Her screams and sobs could still be heard as the mayor began his speech.
"Her brother - it was her brother -" Cressida whispered. Suddenly she was back in Tigris' shop looking at Pollux's message, her insides turning to lead at the thought of Tom suddenly being taken from her forever. Once again she felt Pollux's arms around her as the sobs came.
"Cress, he has a chance to come back." Pollux whispered.
"It hurts - it hurts so much - I know how she feels - I know -" Cressida sobbed into his shoulder.
"What's up?" Castor asked concerned. "Oh." He said with a sudden realization. Miss Maribelle came over.
"Is she ill?" She asked worriedly.
"Yeah." Pollux said thinking fast. "Her stomach."
"I'll take her to the nurse." Miss Maribelle said.
"I - can - he come?" Cressida asked timidly. Indeed, her face was pale.
"If he isn't unwell, he should be allowed to watch the reapings. Come, honey. I'm sorry you have to miss out." Cressida nodded. Once she got to the nurse's office, she let herself have a good cry as the image of the girl crying for her brother replayed over and over in her mind. She gave the nurse a good show by throwing up spectacularly all over the floor when he came out of his office.
"Hey, Cress." Tom said. Cressida opened her eyes. She was laying on a cot in the nurse's office after taking medicine for her stomach and a sedative. "Don't ever leave me! Ever! You HAVE to promise!" She cried wrapping her arms around his neck.
"I won't leave you, sis." Tom said. He realized Cressida was thinking about the reapings. "I won't leave you." Cressida broke down and clung to him crying. "I'm just going to take you home and then go back to work. Then I'll come right home, ok?" He asked. Cressida nodded while sobbing into his shirt. They walked home in silence. Tom pulled Cressida's sheets and comforter back on her bed and tucked her in. Before he left again, he wrapped her in a hug. "I love you, little sis. I won't ever leave you." Cressida gave him a small smile before he closed her bedroom door. As soon as she heard the main door shut, Cressida buried her face in her pillow as she broke into a fresh wave of sobs. She felt horrible knowing that twenty four families felt this way if not worse, yet all around her, people were celebrating because of it. "I want to change it. I want to - I want to -" Cressida sobbed into her pillow before falling asleep in her clothes.