Reapings

District Eight

Cassidy Kelly (18) D8F

"Eloise, will you like to try bishop sleeves?" I muttered to myself, trying to imagine Eloise's response in my head. Unfortunately, she heard my soft voice and skipped over to me eagerly. I sighed. This was supposed to be a surprise.

"What design are you drawing?!" she asked excitedly.

"Nothing. I'm just practicing."

She scoffed. "You don't need practicing," she said, "Everyone knows that you have the best designs!"

"Not everyone," I replied, not wanting to say more. Talking wasn't something I did a lot anyway.

"Let me see!" she cried.

"No."

"Come on!"

"No."

"Please?"

"On your birthday. Promise."

Her shoulders slumped as she tried to peek into my notebook but I turned it away. She sighed.

"Do you even know how eager I am to see what you came up with?"

I nodded and said, "But wouldn't you want to get a surprise on your special day?"

My sister smiled at me on my words and then gave me a quick hug. I returned it, trying to make sure that she couldn't glimpse at my drawing at the same time.

"Now go along and play."

As she left, I picked up the pencil again. I had already drawn the design of the dress that I was going to make for Eloise on her birthday. It was an ankle length and really frilly dress, with layers of different shades and a couple of materials. The dress was slightly puffed up and I was just trying to figure out which sleeves should accompany it. Bishop sleeves seemed to be the best option with this particular design but what if she didn't like it? I thought about the puff sleeves next. As such I knew she liked those but that wouldn't go with the design. So…

Bishop sleeves were final.

Slowly, I started drawing them. I considered myself lucky to be in possession of this notebook, the many colours, and the cloth that I had. I would have to get a net cloth but I would do so. Every year, on my birthday, I was gifted these because my parents knew that I liked to make new dresses for Eloise. It was a passion of mine.

Working for long hours in the satin factory was hard. And then there were two days of school. Sundays could be free but since my parents worked so hard to earn money, I felt it was responsibility to help in the household chores. My mother's goal was to get the two of us past the Reaping age without taking tesserae. So when evening would come along, it would be a welcoming relief to get my notebook and start sketching my designs.

As the drawing came to a conclusion, I grinned. It was one of the rare occasions when I would grin stupidly rather than just a light smile. It was perfect! I was half-tempted to call Eloise and show it to her but then decided against it.

Sometimes, I wished I had friends with whom I could share all this. My sister was more than I could ask for but there were some things that I had to keep from her.

Maybe if I was more outgoing and actually tried to make friends, people might befriend me. I didn't like interacting much with other people, and I was too shy to actually go ahead and talk to them anyway. Even at home, I was not all that talkative. This was much easier. And safer. At least, there would be fewer attachments.

"Get ready!" Eloise said as she barged into my room again.

I let my face drop into my hands. Reapings! They were a pain, really. Why couldn't I just get a complete holiday?

"Yeah I will," I replied, standing up slowly. Running the comb through my vey brown and very straight hair, I looked for something to wear. I just had a simple blue dress with puffs that I usually wore to the Reapings. Putting it on, I tied my hair in a ponytail. I had dark eyes and a light tan. I was around five foot six and of average weight, for which I considered myself lucky. We had to work very hard, but at least we didn't have to starve. That was good enough for me.

"Looking pretty!" my sister exclaimed, looking at me.

"Thanks," I replied.

"I wasn't talking about you. I was talking about this design."

My cheeks turned red at that and I yanked the notebook from her hands.

"You shouldn't have done that," I grumbled.

"But I liked it," she replied, "Especially the sleeves."

I couldn't help but smile at that.

Burgundy Lumineer (17) D8M

"Here Burgundy," the baker's girl said as she handed me the packet of bread.

"Thanks," I replied and smiled, but it was wiped out soon as I felt her hand brush on mine for a bit longer than I would like. I drew back my hand and she looked at me, perplexed.

"Do- don't touch me, okay?" I almost growled and ran out of the bakery before she could say anything. I had had enough of this. The way people looked at me, the way they held my hand for no reason… I was tired of it all. The looks of sympathy that I received was not what I wanted. And then there were people who thought I enjoyed all of that. How could they not understand that it wasn't my fault?

It was my friend Leila's birthday. The party was wild and I was too drunk. Too drunk. I regretted that forever after that though. Why was I so pathetic that I couldn't protect myself? I had no idea what I was doing, so when the much elder woman pulled me with her to a room, I didn't question her. I didn't even realise what was happening. Not when the door slammed, not when she pushed me down on the bed. Nothing at all.

It changed in the morning. I had thought I was home. My body was aching too much and so was my head due to the hangover. And then I saw that woman right next to me, all sober. and then it dawned on me what happened.

I honestly wanted to kill myself. The disgust that I felt in my own being was so overpowering. I just wanted to leave my body and run away but I couldn't get rid of it. But what was even worse was the way the Peacekeepers turned me away…

"Oh sorry!" I apologised as I just bumped into a really young child. She was not more than seven and I looked around for her parents.

"Hey, where is mummy?" I asked.

"I don't know," she replied slowly, "I runned away and now I am lost."

I chuckled slightly. "Child, it's ran away."

She looked so sad that I lifted her in my arms and pinched her cheek softly.

"Come on, I'll take you home."

"Really?!" she asked, her face a round, adorable ball of joy. I nodded.

"Of course I will! Can't have my beautiful princess getting lost in the streets, right?"

Giggling innocently, she wrapped her arms round my neck and told me where she lived. Her house was on my way, so chatting with her about dolls and her friends and everything, I was at her home in no time.

She gasped. "Thanks you!" she exclaimed, giving me a tight hug. I set her down and she ran into her house, yelling for her mummy. I smiled. Children were so innocent. I loved them. I just hoped none of them had to undergo what I had to.

As I continued to walk back home, I saw him. Marius. He was the Peacekeeper to whom I had reported about… the incident. Still couldn't forget his words. They were as fresh then as they ever had been.

"She assaulted you?" he had asked when I had approached him, "My boy, that doesn't happen to men. If it does happen with a man, it means that he wanted it! There is no case for this."

How easily he had said that? How could he not understand my plight? Just because I was a boy I was supposed to enjoy the fact that somebody violated me?! I could not believe his words then.

My good mood on helping the child was definitely destroyed by looking at this monster. Just as I was about to turn away he spotted me. With a smile on his face, he approached me.

"How are you, boy?" he asked, placing his hand on my shoulder. Maybe he thought I wouldn't sense his hand slowly tracing my collar bone, or maybe he was doing it on purpose just to make me feel miserable. I shook his hand away.

"I am fine," I replied and then walked past him. I would not let all this get to me. I could not let it happen.

I couldn't change the past but I could work for a better future. Only a few days after I was assaulted, I saw that some guy was about to do that with a really young girl. Managing to prevent it, I realised that I could not let this happen. I had to help those who were at risk or who had been violated. Just because nobody helped me when I needed it, didn't mean I wouldn't help others too.

I was so lost in thought that I didn't even realise that I was home.

"Hey!" Delilah said, taking the packet of bread from me, "You came quite late."

"I was dropping a kid home," I replied, "She was lost."

"You don't look very happy about helping someone."

"I ran into him."

My sister sighed. After I had saved that girl from being assaulted so long ago, I had decided to form an organisation to help the victims like myself. It was hard first, but the organisation had progressed a lot since then. My parents and Leila supported me in everything but Delilah did not understand. We tried hard to educate her how to defend herself in such a situation but she was just not interested. It didn't mean she agree with Marius' thoughts; my sister loved me too much to think so lowly of me.

"You need to forget him."

"I am trying. And it seems to be working."

Smiling at her, I hugged her lovingly. Whatever she did, she really did help me overcome my depression and my suicidal thoughts. I would always be grateful to her. To all of them.

"Go get ready," she said.

"I am always ready," I replied with a wink. She rolled her eyes at me.

"Look at your hair!"

I ran my hand through my dark brown hair, blinking my brown eyes. I was tan skinned and loved my complexion. Delilah laughed.

"Come along brother dear."

In no time, I was standing among the various nervous seventeen-year-old boys. I was nervous too, and my legs were shaking a little bit.

"It'll be okay. It'll be okay."

The escort was on the stage, and didn't look very eager. Too soon, he drew a name. too soon, he read it out.

"Cassidy Kelly!"

Cassidy Kelly (18) D8F

"NO!" I screamed. How could they call me?! What had I ever done to deserve this?! No tesserae, nothing! I was about to die… Tears started trickling down my cheeks. I was on my knees, looking around for someone to help me.

"Please don't!" I cried, "Please!"

Die… Soon everything went black.

Someone was throwing water on my face. It was cold, too cold. The floor seemed to be made of…wood? It wasn't the Square. Where was I?

Opening my eyes, I saw the many children looking at me. The escort was staring at me in concern. I was on the stage.

I just made a fool of myself in front of so many people.

Seeing that I was conscious again, the escort picked the boy's name without giving me a second glance.

"Burgundy Lumineer!"

The camera focused on a rather cute seventeen-year-old boy. He looked so childish and yet there was a sadness in his eyes. He looked shocked for a second and then a sad smile appeared on his face. And then a larger, more genuine one as if he suddenly realised something. He started and almost ran up to the stage.

The escort did not offer him a chance to say anything. The boy smiled at me reassuringly and I tried to smile back but I was sure it looked more of a grimace.

"Your tributes, District Eight, Cassidy Kelly and Burgundy Lumineer!"

It was fun writing this. I got a little lazy by the end though.

I apologise for the previous chapter. I know I didn't do well with them, especially Reynard, but I'll try to write them better in the future.

Also, if you want to submit to a story, I'd recommend sending your dead tributes to IVolunteerAsAsuthor's story Ghost of Our Past.

And now, thank you all so much for all your reviews. They mean a lot to me, although I don't say so much. Thank you all.

Have a good day!