District 7: The reaping

Trees. That all anyone back in the Capitol could see for miles. Many adults were filmed carrying wheelbarrows of wood and bark, scowls on their faces. Men and women equally could be seen wielding axes, burying the blade into the hard stem of the tree. At their Justice building, children of various ages lined up, taking turns to sign-in into the Games.

'The reaping for the Hunger games has begun! Let's hope this year's batch of tributes will do us proud, here in district 7!' the escort announced, his face wrinkling in a smile. The 60 year-old escort bowed and chuckled to himself. He walked over to the bowl containing the names of the females signed up. He pushed the rim of his glasses further up his nose, thinking which paper to pull out.

'Oak Cooper!' he finally read as he crumpled the paper. A single seventeen year-old girl moved out from her spot. Her slick black hair was tied in a ponytail, the length swishing as she walked. Her face was stoic and calm, her brown eyes showing no emotion but you could tell she was having trouble walking in her pencil black skirt. A cool breeze made her white blouse flutter slightly, her sleeves dancing with the wind. She gave glares to the crowd as she walked up on stage, not caring about the stares she was receiving.

'Oak Cooper, everybody!' announced Michelangelo Dorm, their escort. Oak just gave him an annoyed glare and stared out into the crowd, waiting and guessing on who would join her.

'George Blackthorn!'

A young man walked into the aisle but before anyone saw him, his face showed fear but he quickly covered it up with a scowl. He was a good six inches shorter than Oak. He had short, spiky black hair and a scowl on his face. Even though he had his scowl, he couldn't hide an innocent-looking face underneath and many girls did sigh when they saw his full profile. He was tall for his age and had a toned/solid-ish body, he wasn't extremely muscly like most of the young men standing watching him, but he did have muscle. He was tanned from spending so much time in the sweltering sun.

Oak sensed something in him: fear. She could tell from his eyes that he was scared. Oak eyed him until he joined her up on the stage. The both of them locked eyes and shared a mutual agreement: they were acting.

Michelangelo thumped him on the back and beamed at the crowd (Camera's) before shoving the both of them behind the doors of the justice building. He sighed and an annoyed face took over. He slumped to his room, leaving the two tributes alone with Peacekeepers.

Oak sat, fidgeting in her leather chair. She bit her dirtied nail, nervous and fully realising what had just happened. The doors opened to her family rushing in, the family giving a huge hug to the unlucky daughter and sister.

'Sis, where are you going?' A small five year-old boy asked, cocking his head to the side as he asked. The seventeen year-old bit her lip and kissed his cheek, silently answering his question. The small boy just stared at her with big, innocent eyes and hugged her tighter.

'Lumber, Sis is going to come back! Right?' questioned a twelve year-old boy. He was fresh of his first reaping and now had a fresh new layer of sweat forming on his brow. The "brave" boy was holding up a lot of emotions to show his little brothers and sister that he could be strong.

Oak looked up at her parents with sad eyes. Both adults stood at a distance from each other. Oak's parents were divorced and haven't been in the same room before the break-up, before now.

'Mom, dad, please take care of them.' Pleaded Oak, tears swelling up in her eyes. She tried to force them down but failed. Her cheeks carrying a small stream of tears.

'Shh...' Oak's mother cooed as she bent down to hug her daughter. Her father stood awkwardly, half looking brave the other half... let's just say he wasn't doing a good job of looking brave.

'Sister is going to go for a while, Lumber, Asher and Sienna. Just remember, she loves you.' Explained their father. The five, nine and ten year-olds looked towards their sister before breaking down into sobs of "I don't want big sissy to go!" and "Why does SHE have to go?"

Oak gave a half chuckle and group-hugged her family before a peacekeeper barged in and her family were forced to leave.

George stood waiting. The doors opened and in came to people in their late forties. The female gasped and ran to her only son, grasping him in a bear-hug. She began sobbing uncontrollably and grasped her son even tighter. Only then did she let go when he choked for air.

'Mother, I'm going to be fine...' reassured George, but his tone was said in such a way that he didn't even convince himself. His father stood against the wall, a scowl on his face. When George's mother let go of him, George stroked her hair and kissed her right temple.

'Father, please tell Tony and Ashley... I'll miss them.' George said, his voice breaking off towards the end. The tough man looked up and nodded.

A peacekeeper opened the doors and gave them a steely glare. George grabbed his father's shirt, pulling him into a hug with his mother. The woman began crying hysterically, fresh new tears streaming her cheeks.

Slam.

George was alone again.