Reapings 1-6
District 1
Rosekiss Guisir
As I walk down the street I hear so many people call out my name.
"Hey Rose!"; "How you doing Rose?"; "Are you excited Rose?"
No of course I wasn't excited, this was Reaping Day, it should be a day of sorrow, not happiness, and I certainly wasn't one to train.
Finally as I got to the town square I saw everyone and their exceptional outfits. As I reach my section just in time for Matilda Jenkins to call out the unlucky children's names, and then for someone else to volunteer for them. And so she begins, first of course, being Matilda she must make a big deal about getting the name out of the bowl, but eventually she pulls it out. "Dawn Guidsir" I stand here in shock as I watch my little sister walk up to the stage, no of course someone will volunteer themselves, they always do, oh please, please, please, let someone volunteer and I wait a few more seconds and then I hear myself call out.
"I volunteer!" I shout.
"Ohhhhh, a volunteer!" Matilda squeals, shut up you sound like a pig I want to snap but of course I don't. I slowly walk up to the stage and shake her hand.
What have I gotten myself into?
Niccolo Machiavelli
I watch as a girl, Rosekiss Guidsir, to be exact; the most loved girl in all of D1 volunteer for her sister and walk up to the stage, oh come on there's no one to volunteer for her. Wow District 1 has definitely lost its touch. But I know I will volunteer, I have to, and I just have to make sure that I'm the first one to volunteer. So when Matilda calls out a name I see a small scared boy start to trudge up to the stage and I shout out "I volunteer!"
"Ohhh, two volunteers this year! Well it's not a first!" Matilda shouts. As I get to the stage I shake Rosekiss's hand and see her mutter something that I can't catch.
Oh I can't wait for the games to begin.
District 2
Shiloh "Shy" Marak
I am just about to leave for the town square to go to the reapings when there is a knock on my front door. "I got it." I shout so my dad doesn't get up. Just as I'm about to open it I remember that I still need to put on my Toms, "One minute!" I shout. So I race down the hall and into my room to put my shoes on, and when I come back down I see my visitor has let himself in. "Hey Shy." My best friend Harker says, "we're gonna meet Rena at the town square.
"Alright, one sec." I say, "Bye Dad!" I shout.
"Bye Shy, I'll be there in a few minutes!" I hear him say as I close the door. "So, are you excited?" Harker asks me.
"Oh, you know me, I stayed awake hours last night dreaming about this." I tell him sarcastically. I hear him give a light chuckle,
"Alright let's go."
As we get to the town square I see that just about the whole district is there, except for my dad. Just before we get a chance to say hey to Rena the mayor starts.
"Okay everyone one quiet down, children ages 12 to 18 please get into your roped areas so we may begin."
I watch as everyone slowly trudges into their areas or pig pens as Rena once called them. I turn to say bye to Rena and I see her mouth "good luck"; "you too" I mouth back and then I go into the 15 year old area while she goes into the 16 year old.
"Oh, it's Reaping Day already!" Peatirece Lynn gushes, "May the odd be ever in your favor!" First she makes a big deal about how it is such an honor to be here and how lucky she is to get assigned to District 2 instead of District 12, who never shows any appreciation to their poor escort. And then it's time to pick the girl, the whole District drops into an eerie silence.
"Shiloh Marak!" she calls out.
No, no, no, no, no, this can't be happening, but I feel my legs walk up to the stage, "Congratulations, Shiloh!" she squeals shaking my hand. I look around the square, first I see Harker's face he looks like he's about to cry, and then I see Rena, but she's stronger than Harker, she's already lost a brother to the Games, but I still see the pain. Finally I look around for my dad, but he's nowhere to be seen, it figures.
I wonder if he'll figure it out soon enough that I'll get to say goodbye to him, probably not.
Aleksander "Alek" Longwood
"Come on," I tell my girlfriend, Rosella, "we have to go to the town square."
"No, please." She sobs, I feel bad for her, she lost her younger sister to the games last year and doesn't want to have to see someone else get reaped again this year.
"I know, but what are the odds that you'll get picked?" I say trying to soothe her.
"But what if you get picked?" she asks.
"Me, no and if I do I'll be fine, look we have to go or else the peacekeepers will come get us."
"All right." She sniffles. I hate seeing her like this, she's always so strong and brave, I mean if her father hadn't put his hand over her mouth last year she would have volunteered for her sister.
As we slowly walk down to the Town Square I hear the mayor start so we hurry up so the peacekeepers don't get mad,
"I'll see you later." I say and give her a quick kiss on the forehead.
"Good luck" she says quietly because the reaping has already begun. I walk over to my section just in time to see Shiloh Marak walk up to the stage, I know her from school and I can see the dread on her face.
"And now time for the boys!" Peatirece Lynn shouts, being Peatirece she makes a big deal out of picking the name,
"Alexsander Longwood!" Crap. I really need to stop making promises I can't keep, but I walk up to the stage with confidence I don't have and shake Peatirece's hand and then Shiloh's. I look around and see Rosella let a tear slip down her face.
I really, really need to stop making promises I can't keep.
District 3
Trisha Stapioupulus
"Mom, can I get something nice to wear for the Reaping Day this year?" I shout, already knowing the answer.
"NO!" she snaps, just like she always does.
She seriously hates me I decide, hmmm maybe I'll do her a favor and just volunteer this year, but probably not, because I doubt the Games have staples in the Cornucopia. I hurry to get dressed into the rags I have for clothes, the only reason I have to hurry is because my jerk of a mom decided that it was my responsibility to wake myself up for the reaping and that if the Peacekeepers came and either shot or arrested me it was one less mouth for her to feed, because apparently she had one too many kids and of course I had to point out to her that she only has one child, to which she replies, 'my point exactly'. And so as I am hurrying to get dressed as it is my jerk, I mean mother screams,
"Trisha ya didn't do what I asked, I told ya to fix my teapot."
"I did!" I shout back.
"Ya did it with ya staples, now get ya lazy butt down here and FIX MY DANG TEAPOT!"
"Coming!" I say but of course I just grab my stapler and slip out the back door to get to the Town Square. As I walk down the street everyone stays at least 3 feet away from me, and then I hear the whispers "She's crazy" I hear one person say, "I heard that when Sally May started a rumor about her mother she tried to staple her mouth shut." When I hear this I have to laugh out loud, because that itself was a rumor, I told Sally that it wasn't nice to spread rumors about other peoples mothers when her own couldn't even stay loyal to her father. But of course when I laughed that started another round of gossip "See I told you she was crazy, here she is just walking down the street laughing by herself."
Ugh these old women and their gossip. As I finally get to the town square I walk directly to my section, in which apparently I get my own section, because everyone stands at least 3 feet away from me; as usual.
"And now, for the girl tribute of the Hunger Games!" calls out Omoni Landslide. But unlike other escorts she gets right down to business.
"Trisha Stapioupulus!" she shouts, searching the audience for me.
I walk up to the stage my legs feel like lead, and then I hear a cheer, when I turn around I see that it's my mother, wow someone has a lot of love for their daughter, not. As I get on the stage I shake Omoni's hand.
Well I hope they have staples somewhere in the arena.
Zach Manders
"Zwach" my little brother Blaze says, "why is evewyone sad?" he asks me.
"Because today someone will have to go away for a TV show that they might not come back from." I tell him.
"Oh come on, Zach." My older brother Cody says, "Just tell the kid. The sooner he knows the better."
"Shut up Cody." I say under my breath so Blaze doesn't hear, "he's too young." Cody has never been my biggest fan, ever, not since the day I was born and kicked him square in the jaw, or at least that's what Brian told me, my older brother who now is off and married with his own two kids.
"Fine, fine. Pretend that every year some poor innocent kid doesn't die, go ahead try and protect him from that, because we all know that one day one of us is going to get picked."
"Shut up Cody!" I yell, "Why do you even care anymore, your done, you don't have to worry about your life anymore!" I see him instantly recoil as if I was holding out a knife. But of course Blaze starts crying, so I turn back to him to soothe him, which makes Cody laugh, "You're going to be a great daddy someday." He says mocking me, "If you don't get reaped first." Before I can turn around and punch him he walks out the door.
"Come on Zach, your brothers will be fine," my friend Charlie tells me.
"Yeah, listen to her, Charlie's always right." My other friend Jason says with a smirk, scratching his poison ivy.
"Oh come on Jason that was one time!" Charlie shouts.
"Yes but you told me that it was a bunny nest and that if I stuck my hand down the hole I would find a baby bunny." Jason says defensively.
"Guys enough!" I say. "Are we seriously fighting over this still, come on, one of us could be dead in the next week."
The three of us, we've been friends for years, through everything from Charlie's dad dying to Jason almost having to live on the streets until my parents gave his family some money. We need each other, we had also thought we needed Monica, our other friend that used to hangout with us, until she was reaped and killed by some tiger-bear, in the games two years ago, and today was the day that we mark her death. When we finally get down to the square I notice that everyone is staring at us, so I look to Jason and whisper "Do I look okay?"
I see him give a slight nod, "How about me?" Charlie asks.
Honestly I really want to tell her that she looks amazing but after Monica died, who not only was one of our closest friends but also Jason's girlfriend, me and Charlie decided it would be better for Jason if we didn't date. So I tell her she looks good, which leaves a small smirk on her face. "Well I know I look good." Jason says, and of course he does, he always does, which is why the three of us are so popular. And then I notice that everyone is not looking at us but something behind us, so I turn around, and see that Blaze, who is only 1 and has just learned to toddle has followed us.
"Zwach." He says, "you didn't answew me when I awsked if I couwd cwome."
"Well I'm sorry Blaze, I didn't hear you." I say scooping him up.
"Alright guys I'll see you later." Charlie says heading off to the 17 year old girl section.
And then Omoni Landslide calls everyone to order and declares that she will call the names. while she is talking about this Jason and I walk over to the edge of our section to stand next to Charlie.
"Trisha Stapioupulus!" I hear Omoni call. I let out sigh of relief that it's not Charlie.
"And now for the boys." Omoni says.
"Zach Manders!" she calls out.
I feel Blaze nudge me and I hand him off to Charlie and I hear him start to cry but I still trudge up to the stage.
I'm really going to miss my family.
District 4
Callen Westernmark
Ugh, I can't find anything to wear of course on one of the biggest days of my life. Today I'm going to volunteer for the Hunger Games. Finally I find something; gray tights, black high-heeled boots, navy blue halter top dress that ends at my knees, and a nave blue headband. When I decide I'm acceptable to go out I say good-bye to my home, because either one, when I get back I'll be living in the Victor's Village, or two, I'm going to die in the arena. As I walk down the street to my friend Jenn's house I get some whistles, at which I toss my hair over my shoulder and roll my eyes. When I finally get to her house I see that she is the only one home. "Hey," I say as I walk in the door like I always do.
"Hey" she says, "I'm so nervous."
"Don't be I'm volunteering." I tell her. I see her eyes go wide and then she tenses like she's waiting for me to say "Just Kidding!" and then laugh. But I don't, I just stare at her.
"Why?" she sputters, "you'll, you'll…"
"Die?" I ask her. She nods her head yes. "That's why. I want to prove myself; I want people to see how strong I am." I can tell she doesn't like the idea but I going through with it anyway. So as we walk down to the square I see all the other girls faces filled with dread. I watch as the mayor and the D4 escort Lynda Flaffodil, make their speeches, but I'm not listening; until Lynda calls out the name.
"Charlotte Green!" she announces. And then both me and Charlotte's older sister, Harlem, I think it is both shout,
"I volunteer!" we both look at each other. And so I repeat myself
"I volunteer!" When I look back over at Harlem I see her eyes fill with tears of relief, and as I walk past her she pulls me into a hug.
"Thank you." She says and I nod my head. When I get on stage I shake Lynda's hand. I am filled with dread, but I must remember;
I am here to prove myself.
Joseph "Jofuss" Pilo
"Come on little cuz, you need to get ready for the Reapings." My cousin Renato says.
"I'm almost ready." I shout. I finish up on my hair, yes my hair, I spike it up every morning; and I walk down the hall.
"Ready to go." I say.
"Okay go ahead, I'll be there in a few minutes, I just gotta finish up with these bills." He tells me.
"Ight, see you there." When I get about halfway down my street I meet up with Angel.
"Hey," I say, "any good new pictures I gotta see?" I ask him, because he is the graffiti artist of D4.
"Na, I almost got busted the other night." He tells me.
I have to laugh because the idea of him behind bars is kinda amusing, sure he acts all rough and tough but honestly he's just a little puppy dog.
"Alright, lets go, let's go." He says. So we walk down to the Town Square.
"Ya know, I wonder if it would be worth it, the Hunger Games, I mean, if ya win, cuz it must be a traumatizing experience, watching everyone get killed. But is it really worth it if all you get is money and a house, cuz those memories don't just go away. Have you looked at some of the Victors, man. Their messed up." He says and but I'm not in the mood for one of his rants. "But really I wonder what it's like." He says.
I look over to the stage and see that Lynda is already pulling a guys name.
"Joseph Pilo!" she shouts.
"I guess imma about to find out." I mutter to Angel.
I walk up to the stage and shake Lynda and the girl's hands.
And I promise myself imma make it back.
District 5
Briar Moon
I get out of bed to see my twin sisters standing over me.
"Come on little brother." They both say, "We're going to make you look perfect for the reaping."
Oh no they did this last year and the year before that. They pretend to be my stylists like the ones the tributes get for the Hunger Games, and I have to sit through it all morning and endure it because they're daddy's little girls. By 10 o'clock they're done with me just in time to walk down to the Town Square. I really hope I don't get picked, I'm so small and have never trained a day in my life, I would surly die the first day which I suppose is better than enduring two weeks like some people will have to.
As I get to the center of town I walk directly over to my roped off area. First our mayor, Mayor Kodak, a tall handsome man, with laugh lines around his eyes makes his speech, and then our escort Nutty Meringue makes her announcement I don't listen to either of they're speeches but I do stare at Loopy, we've come close to being friends but she doesn't know that I like her, finally it's time for Nutty to choose the boy tribute and I cross my fingers hoping it's not me.
"Briar Moon!" she calls out.
I hear myself let out a whimper and I walk up to the stage to shake her hand.
I'm never going to make it.
Yale Kodak
I watch as the small boy, Briar Moon, walks up to the stage, the more I look at him the more he reminds me of my little brother I used to have, until he and my mother were killed in a fire, I was 10 and he was 6. I almost cry as I see Briar go up on stage, please let someone volunteer for him, but no one does. I look over to my father, the mayor and I see he has the same look on his face as I do. I look around feeling tall in my wedges; I'm already 5'5 so I really must look tall too. I am ready to be reaped, because for the past seven years my father has had me exercise; strength training, running, building endurance, and learning how to use different herbs and weapons. My father and mother had lost my older sister, Gracie, before I was born to the Games. My dad once told me that she was beautiful and that I had her wolf like blue eyes. That was also the reason my dad made me train, because Gracie was one of the first killed because she was much unprepared so I had to be prepared in case I was reaped.
"And now for the girls!" Nutty calls, reaching into the bowl to pick a tribute.
"Chrissie Hope!" she calls and then I see her face drop when she puts the name and face together, Chrissie has cancer. She'll never make it in the Games, not now at least. Her cancer, which her family thought was gone was recently detected and they found that it had come back worse than they had ever seen in District 5. Her family was also told that if she became too stressed at any given time it could kill her because of how the treatments affected her body and she's in a wheel chair. I debate with myself on whether or not I should volunteer for her, of course I would probably last longer in the Games, but when I die I will leave my father with no family at all. Finally just as Chrissie is about to get on stage I scream out with hysteria
"I volunteer!" Nutty turns to look at me with a mixture of dread and relief. Dread because I'm the mayor's daughter and relief because she doesn't have to lead poor Chrissie to her death.
I walk up to the stage and look at my father, I see his eyes are filled with tears, but he nods his head in approval, he always did tell me to stand up for those who can't stand up for themselves.
I walk up the steps to the stage and when I turn around the District starts clapping, and then I look and see Chrissie's parents, smiles on their faces and tears rolling freely down their cheeks, "Thank you" her mother mouths to me and I return it with a nod and slight smile.
At least it's for a good cause.
District 6
Madison Silvaya
I wake up in terror, like I always do on Reaping Day, I am afraid for my life and my friends' lives. I get out of bed and try to figure out what to wear, I do want to look nice, especially if I'm reaped, because I figure it can't hurt to try and charm the sponsors as soon as possible. So I take a step back from my closet and try to decide on what to wear and after a few minutes of thinking I decide; a pair of black skinny jeans, a loose fitting red blouse that falls off my shoulders and brings out both my fiery green eyes and my figure, and finally I slip on my favorite pair of gold flats. I'm ready to go.
"Mom, Dad, I'm ready!" I shout down the hall.
"Okay sweetie!" my Dad says, so the three of us walk out the door and down the street, when we get to the town square my parents each kiss me on the forehead, say good luck and let me walk over to my roped off section. Another year, another death, another tragedy. I look over and see my friend Luke, usually he gives me courage but not today. He winks at me and I give a slight smile back. What are the odds that I'll be chosen, my parents forbid me to take out a tesserae. I see Luke motion for me to come over to him so I do. When I get over to the far end of my section and he's at the edge of his we're standing next to each other and he pulls me into a hug.
"I'm nervous for you." I whisper to him.
"Me? Why? I've only taken out 2 tesserae." He says to me pulling me back to look into his beautiful grey eyes.
"Yeah, but I haven't taken out any." I tell him.
I lean back into him and we just stand there like that, both afraid for the other, until our friend Silver comes up.
"Um guys, did I not get a memo or something because this," she says referring to us hugging, "is new."
We instantly pull away, but I'm still longing for the warmth of his arms.
The mayor starts talking and we all silence ourselves. But I look sideways at Luke, I see him looking at me too and he winks, he's adorable, I decide; it's no wonder he has so many girls falling over him.
"And now to pick our finest lady, the newest tribute of District 6 is…." Shouts our escort, Reola Winncroft, "MADISON SILVAYA!"
I look around sure she called the wrong name but then someone nudges me and I start walking up to the stage, I feel myself shake Reola's hand and I look around. First I see my parents, both of them have stayed strong, for my case I'm sure, and then I look at Silver, she's looking at me and she holds up her pointer, ring and pinkie fingers, our secret symbol for stay strong, we had made it up when we were 7 and kept having to give reports in front of the class. Finally I look at Luke, I see a single tear slip down his cheek that he quickly wipes away and then he winks at me.
This year it will be my year, my death, my tragedy.
Kirk Hasley
"Kirk! You need to get going soon!" my mother shouts down the hall.
"Alright, I'm going now!" I reply.
I head out the door and down the street and go straight to Dandelion's house, my girlfriend. Just as I'm about to knock on the door she comes out. I shake my shaggy blond hair out of my eyes so that I can see her better, because I've never seen her dressed up; she looks so beautiful. Her brown ringlets just falling past her shoulders, her gold dress bringing out her beautiful blue eyes, her brown freckles coming out in the sun, I'm so lucky to have her. She gives me a quick hug and then we walk to the Town Square for the Reapings.
"I'm going to miss you when if I get picked." She tells me.
"Why do you think you'll get picked?" I ask her, and then I remember; her family's poor and to support her family she has had to take out 8 tesserae, I nod my head so she doesn't have to explain. I immediately feel bad for bringing it up.
We get to the Town Square just in time for Reola to pick the girl tribute and I cross my fingers that it's not Dandelion, she's too vulnerable; thankfully it's not Dandelion but a girl who goes by Madi, I see her parents and realize she's an only child, that always makes it harder for the parents. Finally it's time to reap the male tribute, Reola makes a big deal about getting the name out and then she finally gets it.
"KIRK HASLEY!" she shouts. I hear Dandelion whimper, and I know she needs me. But I walk up to the stage and shake Reola's hand and then Madi's.
Finally I take my last look around District 6, one last look of my home.
Hey guys I know this is really long but I wanted this to be how you really get to know the characters. I'm going to put up a poll on who you like the best out of these characters, because eventually I'll have you guys vote on the death's and so on. So please tell me what you think and if there is anything that I did with your character that you didn't like PLEASE PM me I don't want you to have to read about the character you made up that I messed up. So please any questions comments either review or PM me!
Hope you liked it!